Leadership and Governance: Dilemma of Agricultural Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Agriculture contributes immensely to the Nigerian economy in various ways; namely, in the provision of food for the increasing population; supply of adequate raw materials to a growing industrial sector; a major source of employment; generation of foreign exchange earnings; and provision of a market for the products of the industrial sector among others. It has been observed that African agriculture remains largely traditional and concentrated in the hands of smallholders and pastoralists, and the neglect of agriculture has resulted to the mass exodus of rural dwellers to urban, thereby qualitatively and quantitatively depopulated rural areas making it less attractive for socio-economic investment. This paper reviews the roles of leadership and governance in agricultural development in Nigeria. It discusses the problems and challenges posed by these and government responses to leadership and governance dilemma in agriculture in the country. The paper concludes that good leadership and governance are important for agricultural growth and development. Reversing the current state of Nigeria’s agriculture is more than just a technical issue, but structural change and better way of managing our resources. There is also the need for a sound political climate to generate a strong and collective political will. The political leadership must also change and must be armed with the right mental capacity, discipline, integrity and positive political will.