With inflation showing no sign of abating and the prices of basic foodstuffs not looking like they will come down soon, maybe it is time to unveil an ambitious agriculture programme

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Raise maize output from the current 12.75m tonnes to match Mexico’s 28m tonnes

[2] Increase tomato production from the current 4m tonnes to match Pakistan’s 16.6m tonnes

[3] Increase rice production from the current 5.4m tonnes to match Thailand’s 25m tonnes

[4] Raise sugarcane production from current 1.3m tonnes to match South Africa’s 15m tonnes

[5] Increase cocoa production from the current 328,263 tonnes to match Ghana’s 883,652 tonnes

[6] Raise plantain production from the current 3.09m tonnes to match Cameroon’s 4.31m tonnes

[7] Increase pineapple production from the current 1.5m tonnes to match Costa Rica’s 2.9m tonnes

[8] Raise timber production from the current 69m tonnes to match Indonesia’s 119m tonnes

[9] Increase palm oil production from the current 1.2m tonnes to match Malaysia’s 20m tonnes

[10] Raise milk production from the current 523,599 tonnes to match Pakistan’s 45.6m tonnes

This expansion plan must be accompanied by a no-nonsense value-added programme. Under no circumstances whatsoever must raw primary commodities be exported without at least 50% value addition.

Ayoakinfe@gmail.com