The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday reported that 40.2 million households were engaged in agricultural practice across the sector’s value chains nationwide.
The statistics agency gave these figures during the launch of the ‘National Agricultural Sample Census (NASC) 2022’ report in Abuja.
In his welcome address at the event, the Statistician General of the Federation and Chief Executive officer of the NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, recalled that for many years Nigeria had not been able to update her data on the agriculture sector thereby undermining efforts of the governments, the organized private sector, farmers and agribusiness owners to transform the huge potential into socio-economic benefits for the country.
He explained: “For over two and a half decades, the absence of comprehensive data on Nigeria’s agricultural sector has been a significant barrier to progress. This gap has limited the ability of policymakers, investors, and stakeholders to make more informed decisions that are critical to the sector’s growth, and overall food security in Nigeria. However, the conduct of the 2022 NASC exercise, the first of its kind in over 27 years, marks a turning point.
“With over 65 per cent of the population directly or indirectly dependent on the agriculture sector for their daily sustenance, the NASC results offer invaluable insights into the very foundation of our agricultural sector, providing a detailed picture of the size and structure of farm holdings.
“We will better understand the distribution of land ownership and operational structures across various farm types.
“The launch of the NASC results is particularly timely given the current global and national focus on food security, as well as the government’s drive towards enhancing sustainable local production to cater for our youthful and growing population.
“The data gleaned from this census is more critical than ever. Viewing it from a statistical standpoint, the results provide major inputs into the ongoing rebasing of National Accounts, or the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as we generally know it. It will further empower us to develop evidence-based solutions for pressing challenges. By understanding the current state of agriculture, we can design targeted policies and programmes to address issues related to food security, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and enhance overall productivity.
“It will also assist in attracting the much-needed private sector investment into the agricultural landscape. The data will equip investors with the confidence and knowledge required to make informed decisions regarding agricultural ventures in Nigeria”, Adeniran added.
On the benefits of the report to the current drive by governments, development partners and other stakeholders for food security in the country, the Statistician-General maintained that the results of the NASC 2022 would “serve as a vital benchmark for tracking progress toward achieving national and international agricultural development goals, including those outlined in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Speaking during the launch of the report, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said that based on the results of the census, the strongest key to sustained economic growth was to ensure that the 40.2 million households were continuously supported so that they could perform better.
The minister noted that Nigeria was blessed with an agricultural populace who were always proud to identify themselves as farmers and fishermen and women in their communities.
According to him, that attitude has a significant effect on absorptive capacities which implies that they are people who are happy to help engage and support agricultural production and are ready to support in the task of nation building and improved welfare for the citizenry.
Bagudu explained that to boost agricultural output in the country and ensure food security for all, we need to continuously calibrate our deliverance structure to support them to generate more return for what they are doing
He maintained that in view of the massive statistical data in the NASC 2022 report, the results should energize Nigerians and government’s policy could calibrate and co-ordinate all programmes so that support could be based on need at the local level.
The minister said: “Nigeria is a blessed nation and this report further supports that and across the 36 states are hard working men and women seeking to make a living.
“All of them are looking for support to continue to do what they enjoy doing to contribute to our national prosperity. That we promise the Renewed Hope Agenda will continue to deliver on”, Bagudu added.
In his presentation of the key highlights of the report’s findings, the NBS’ Assistant Director, Agricultural and Business Enterprises Statistics Department (ABESD), Bishop Ohioma, said the survey had two components, which comprised the listing component and the sample survey component.
According to him, the listing component is the NASC 2022 report being launched while National Agricultural Sample Survey component will be unveiled within the next few months.
Obioma explained that out of the 91% of agricultural households that cultivated crops, 35% practised only crop cultivation while 48% were engaged in livestock production, adding that 16% of the households raised 58 million cattle, while 41.2% raised about 124 million goats and that 42.5% raised poultry, most commonly chickens, while 5% practised fisheries.
A further analysis of the report indicated that the lowest percentage of agricultural households in Crop Cultivation was recorded in Lagos State at 48.0%, while Ebonyi State recorded the highest percentage in crop cultivation nationwide at 99.5%.
Similarly, the NASC 2022 report reflected that the highest percentage of agricultural households engaged in Livestock Production was recorded in Jigawa at 84.2%, followed by Bauchi at 79.7%, while specifically on Poultry production, the highest percentage of agricultural households was recorded in Benue at 65.2%, followed by Ebonyi State at 63.3%.
While clarifying that the NASC 2022 report supports a robust dataset that works on agricultural intervention programmes, enhances food security, and promotes sustainable agricultural practices, Obioma pointed out that the NASC listing was conducted using digitised Enumeration Area (EA) maps in all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He explained that though 767 Local Government Areas (LGAS) in the country were targeted for the census, seven LGAs, namely four LGAs in Imo State and three LGAs in Borno State, were not covered in the census due to insecurity.
The Assistant Director further disclosed that 40 EAs were covered in each LGA and the number of EAs covered varied by state, both urban and rural EAs were covered, adding that altogether 30,546 EAs were covered nationwide out of the proposed 30,960.
Obioma explained that one of the recommendations in the report was the need for the federal state and local governments in the country to allocate more resources to support the conduct of the National Agricultural Sample Survey (NASS) on quarterly and yearly basis
This is even as he disclosed that the report also recommended that Nigeria’s technical and financial partners to sustain support in the conduct of quarterly and annual NASS by providing support to build capacity of staff of the NBS in agricultural statistics production.
The NASC was conducted by the NBS in partnership with the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
