The Nigerian government has unveiled ambitious plans to elevate the country\u2019s status as a hub for agricultural exports in 2025 through its new “Earn From the Soil” initiative, VOA reported. This program is part of a broader strategy to reduce the nation\u2019s heavy reliance on oil revenue and diversify its economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moses Diego, a 59-year-old retired civil servant with 30 years of farming experience, is one of the beneficiaries of the initiative. On his 10-hectare farm, Diego grows rice, beans, and peanuts. With an investment equivalent to 2000 dollars, he believes he can significantly increase his production, aligning with the program\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the initiative provides low-interest loans to farmers to improve their operations and enhance subsistence farming. However, some local farmers have expressed concerns about bureaucratic hurdles that could delay access to these funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agriculture already plays a vital role in Nigeria\u2019s economy, contributing approximately 22.6% to the nation\u2019s GDP and accounting for about 5.4% of its total exports in the second quarter of 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The “Earn From the Soil” initiative aims to build on this foundation, empowering farmers like Diego and positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global agricultural market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Nigerian government has unveiled ambitious plans to elevate the country\u2019s status as a hub for agricultural exports in 2025 through its new “Earn From the Soil” initiative, VOA reported. This program is part of a broader strategy to reduce the nation\u2019s heavy reliance on oil revenue and diversify its economy. Moses Diego, a 59-year-old …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":119266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[5019],"tags":[12729],"class_list":["post-119263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nigeria","tag-agriculture-expansion-initiative"],"yoast_head":"\n