Before President Goodluck Jonathan released the list of his ministerial nominees in early July Nigerians were anxious to see which technocrats he was bringing on board to help deliver on his promise of national transformation especially in key national sectors. His nomination of Dr Akinwumi Adesina – agricultural economist, academic, development thinker, entrepreneur, research consultant and international icon – for the strategic agriculture ministry drew positive attention in various quarters. And by the time Adesina appeared for screening before the Senate, his expertise, achievements and vision for agriculture in Nigeria left no one in doubt that this was a perfect choice.. Educational/Professional Background
Akinwumi Adesina began his agricultural journey in the 1970s at Obafemi Awolowo University- then University of Ife- where he studied agricultural economics. Nigeria’s oil era was already underway, and agriculture was losing its place as the mainstay of the economy. In an era when industrialization and modernization had become the buzzwords, agriculture was considered retrograde and students of agriculture were sometimes derided as “old school”. Yet, Adesina’s unwavering passion for agriculture kept him focused. His dedication and hard work paid off when he graduated with a First Class Honours. He went on to earn a PhD in agricultural economics from Purdue University, USA.
An agricultural economist by discipline, young Adesina particularly explored and thrived in the world of agricultural research. He held various research positions at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Combining his expertise as a researcher and an economist, he also actively engaged the international development world as an Africa spokesperson in the field of agriculture, serving as a senior scientist for the Rockefeller Foundation, and later leading the agri-entreprise program at the foundation, aimed at raising the incomes and improving the practices of rural farmers.
The Model
Over the years, Adesina has proven himself to be a great model not only to those seeking a career in agriculture but to many Nigerians – young and old – in pursuit of great dreams. Possessing strong leadership qualities, he has demonstrated remarkable leadership in different fields, distinguishing himself as part of Africa’s Cheetah Generation.
Innovation: Adesina’s dedication and commitment to the agricultural sector has made him not only a learner and a worker but also an innovator and a bonafide leader, leveraging resources and expertise, combining existing practices with novel ideas, taking risks, identifying problems and transforming them into boons. He was one of the big brains behind the Africa Fertilizer Summit, which sought to
- Build consensus around the key issues that affect fertilizer use in Africa.
- Agree on a strategy to develop an Africa Fertilizer Action Plan, which would be the roadmap for improving access, affordability and incentives for fertilizer use by millions of poor African farmers.
In 2010, Adesina was appointed along with prominent figures such as Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile; Jeffrey Sachs of the Columbia Institute; Ted Turner, Founder of CNN; Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft; and Mohammed Yunus, founder of the international renowned Grameen Bank to the seventeen-man United Nations MDGs Advocacy Group. According to Ban Ki-Moon, the appointees were people “who had shown outstanding leadership in promoting the implementation of the MDGs.” As a member of the group, Adesina was tasked with the responsibility of leading a think tank on MDG 1- to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger.
Communication and Collaboration:
In much of his work, Adesina has underscored the importance of partnerships and dialogue. As Vice-President of Policy and Partnerships of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, he made the promotion of dialogue among the different stakeholders in agriculture a key objective of his work. He emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the public and private sectors to engage in conversation about best practices and develop a better understanding of the needs and challenges in agriculture. He has organized various symposia and summits at international and local levels to create awareness and promote dialogue in agriculture. At many of these fora, he has advocated, consistently and compellingly, an Africa-driven agenda for a green revolution.
Expertise:
Dr. Adesina’s decades of experience and excellence in the fields of agriculture, development policy and rural development have earned him distinction not only as a development worker but also as a trusted authority in Africa’s agricultural development. Thus, international governmental organizations, such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB) continually seek his expert advice on several issues. His opinion are trusted because he has lived and worked at both international and grassroots levels.
Laurels:
Given Dr. Adesina’s distinguished career and impressive achievements, it is no surprise that he has been acknowledged and honoured in local and international circles. Among the many accolades he has received is the Yara Prize for African Green Revolution, awarded for his innovative work in agricultural enterprise which gave millions of farmers access to farm inputs through stable agricultural nodes and networks. Adesina also been honoured with the prestigious Purdue University’s College of Agriculture Distinguished Agricultural Alumni Award “for his inspiring leadership in spearheading transformative change in African agriculture.”
Tasks ahead
With his new appointment to President Jonathan’s cabinet, Adesina faces an enormous challenge. He has been tasked with the responsibility of revamping Nigeria’s agricultural sector. This is one sector of Nigeria’s economy that has fallen outrageously short of its awesome potential, a scar on the face of the country and, in more ways than one, her biggest development disappointment.
At his inaugural meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture in Abuja, he revealed with dismay that “the Federal Government spent over N99 trillion on food importation between 2007 and 2010”, importing in 2010 alone, “wheat worth N635 billion, spent N356 billion on importation of rice, N217 billion on sugar and N97 billion on fish.” He recalled with nostalgia and deep regret, the glory days of agriculture when Nigeria was a leading exporter of cocoa, palm oil, groundnut, groundnut oil and other major cash crops. The financial implications of this troubling trend were not lost on the new minister: he pointed out that the current trend was not sustainable and poses fiscal challenges for Nigeria’s fast growing economy; he added that this trend was destroying the local industry and eroding the real incomes of poor and rural farmers.
Paradigm Shift in Agriculture
Moving right on from the troubling figures, Adesina affirmed his commitment to the cause of transforming agriculture in Nigeria and outlined his course of action towards that goal. Two outstanding quotes revealed his determination to get things done:
“I will never let Nigerian down. As minister of Agriculture, working closely with the Minister of State, we will never let the farmers of Nigeria down. We will revamp the agricultural sector. We will accelerate food production in clear and visible ways that will impact the lives of our people, and we will begin the hard work of restoring the lost glory of agriculture in Nigeria.”
“We must accelerate domestic rice production and improve on processing to meet quality standards. We must tap into all the resources of our farmers across our nation and deliver a green revolution for rice that will make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.”
In this day and age of social entrepreneurship, where sustainable business models are seen as key to economic growth, Dr. Adesina- as an agricultural economist- has expressed that this is also true for agriculture. Calling for a paradigm shift from treating agriculture as a development or social service field to treating it as a basket of opportunities and a field of vast potential, he maintains that agriculture is a business and must be structured, developed, resourced and financed as such.” We will develop and transform the sector as a business that works for small farmers, medium and large scale farmers, that will unlock wealth and allow Nigeria to meet its food needs, while becoming a major player in global food markets, to help diversify income for the nations”, he promised.
Challenges and Prospects
As Dr. Adesina sets out to fulfill the towering task before him, he would do well to remain firm, disciplined and transparent in all his activities. In a system that has been mired in corruption, greed, inefficiency and lethal power politics, numerous factors and interests will conspire relentlessly to subvert the minister’s vision and firmness in agricultural policy. As Niccolo Machiavelli observed about change in his classic, The Prince, “all those who profit from the old order will be opposed to the innovator, whereas all those who might benefit from the new order are, at best, tepid supporters of him”. Adesina’s ability to achieve his goals will depend on how well he is able to manage and overcome these challenges, while working in constructive partnerships with all actors and stakeholders in the agricultural sector, including farmers, retailers and consumers.
All in all, the appointment of such a distinguished fellow, remarkable Nigerian and great role model is great news for Nigeria and for all stakeholders in the agricultural industry. Innovator, economist, development thinker, international consultant, public speaker, rural activist, Akin Adesina is more than competent to lead the Green Revolution in Nigeria. It is our hope that Dr Adesina will continue to stand out as an agent of agricultural change and a symbol of genuine transformation in the Nigerian government.
"Kindly vote for our very own Honorable Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina as Forbes African person of the Year. He deserves it, vote and encourage others to do so.
To vote please click on the link below. Thank you and God bless you as you vote.
http://forbesafrica.com/
Voting closes 4th of November 2013."
Why you should Vote:
Dr Akinwunmi Adesina is repositioning Nigeria Agriculture into a Global powerhouse. Transforming Agriculture into a business, where our youth will be proud to be addressed as Agribusiness Men & Women. He has proven just how serious he is about getting 110million youths working in the Agriculture Industry by 2020 with the launch of the Youth Empowerment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) at the just conclude NES 19 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr Goodluck E. Jonathan.
Need more reasons to vote? Kindly follow the link below.
http://www.fmard.gov.ng/index.
Vote and encourage others to do so. Click here to votehttp://forbesafrica.com/
Presentation of Ministerial Scorecard (2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Growing Nigeria: A Rice Revolution
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-
Keynote Address at Columbia University (Sept. 2013):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
CNBC Panel Discussion at World Economic Forum Africa (May 2013):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Thank you and GOD bless you.
source: The young achievers group
No comments:
Post a Comment