Post by Trade facilitator on Feb 22, 2024 13:34:13 GMT 1
Shocking: Nigeria Can Become A Major Food Exporter In The World, But It Cannot Happen Because Of These Factors. What Are They?
It is always nice to dream big, but dreaming big without commensurate action backing your dreams is simply a deadly wishful thinking.
Can you imagine that Netherlands, a tiny country that is just a little bigger than Nigeria’s Zamfara state, has demonstrated that where there is the will, there must always be a way!
The Dutch State has emerged second-largest agricultural exporter by value in Europe, despite limited land, owing to its top-notch infrastructure, logistics, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative practices.
Based on data published by the World Trade Organization (WTO) for 2022, the 5 (five) European countries with the highest exports by value are:
Germany: €2,060,409 million
Netherlands: €916,169 million
France: €1,005,319 million
Ireland: €723,121 million
Belgium: €551,281 million
Netherlands and Zamfara state share a focus on agriculture, and face similar challenges related to climate change and resource management, Nigeria as a whole cannot be compared as of yet to the kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Dutch country took certain steps to get to where it is today. Its transitioning to become a major global exporter holds lessons for Nigeria. But we have learnt nothing.
“We’re big exporters in the Netherlands because we also have an amazing infrastructure and logistics in place. It’s top-notch,” Leonie van der Stijl, deputy consul general and head of the economic department, Kingdom of the Netherlands, said.
She added, “The port of Rotterdam is the biggest in Europe, so it’s also a hub to the hinterlands. We’re almost a port of Germany, even though Germany is not on the water. Our rivers flow through the Netherlands, all the way to Germany.
“There’s hardly any wilderness left in the Netherlands. We’ve chopped everything. When you fly over, you’ll see only squares of agricultural practices. Every metre in our country has been made for farming.”
You can imagine careful planning and seriously indoctrinating almost all the small population to cultivate the habit of feeding the nation.
Driven by food security concerns, the Netherlands set an ambitious goal 20 years ago to feed its 17 million people, double food production while halving resource use. It has made significant progress in that time, showcasing the potential of innovation and efficiency in agriculture.
Look at the most important aspect of their resolve 20 years ago, “to double food production and also halving resource use”. They need to feed about 17 million people and also realizing that for them to achieve that without hurting the economy, they will have to halve resource use.
“Unlike Nigeria where almost everything is season-bound such that you have just one harvest of certain crops every year, we have the greenhouse technologies down to tea, so we grow everything year-round.
“We have also done all of the research and all of the data for decades on how to keep the soil healthy, how to get the most yield from the best seeds (and that’s, I think, one of the things that Nigeria has found a tough thing to do),” said Stijl.
Over the past 30 years, the Dutch tomato industry has become the world leader in yield, producing more tomatoes per square mile than anywhere else (as it grows its tomatoes on only 6.9 square miles of land). The Netherlands enjoys high yields in other staple crops as well.
Nigeria, on the other hand, has the third largest area harvested for tomatoes, but the lowest yield among the top 25 producers.
Nigeria is not a match to the Netherlands in terms of yield as data from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations show that Africa’s most populous nation has failed to make appreciable efforts in increasing its farm yields, still recording the lowest yields per hectare among its African peers.
After the crops are harvested, products in staggering numbers are still lost from farmer to market because of the long logistics chain.
Stijl also spoke on the high level of insecurity that plagues both the farmers and the major markets.
Netherlands: From Tiny Land to Top Agricultural Exporter - 10 Key Lessons for Nigeria
Despite limited land, the Netherlands is the second-largest agricultural exporter in Europe thanks to:
Top-notch infrastructure and logistics: Rotterdam, Europe's biggest port, facilitates efficient transport.
Cutting-edge technologies: Dutch farmers utilize advanced greenhouse techniques for year-round production.
Innovative practices: Soil health, data-driven farming, and high-yielding seeds maximize output.
Focus on efficiency: They halved resource use while doubling food production in 20 years.
10 Lessons for Nigeria:
Prioritize infrastructure and logistics: Invest in efficient transportation networks and storage facilities.
Embrace technology: Explore greenhouse technologies and data-driven farming methods.
Innovate and adapt: Develop practices suited to local conditions and challenges.
Focus on resource efficiency: Reduce waste and optimize resource utilization.
Set ambitious goals: Aim for significant improvements in production and sustainability.
Learn from research: Conduct data-driven analysis and implement best practices.
Improve seed quality: Utilize high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties.
Reduce post-harvest losses: Invest in proper storage, handling, and transport infrastructure.
Address insecurity: Ensure safety for farmers and markets to encourage production and investment.
Seek collaboration: Engage with experts and learn from successful models like the Netherlands.
Nigeria's Challenge:
Despite having the third-largest area harvested for tomatoes, Nigeria suffers from the lowest yields among top producers, highlighting the need for significant improvement in agricultural practices and efficiency.
By implementing these lessons and addressing its challenges, Nigeria can leverage its vast agricultural potential and follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, becoming a major agricultural exporter in its own right.
Addendum:
You Need To Engage With Us To Learn More:Our company is one of the best companies in the Agro-Export business in Nigeria today. We train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
It is always nice to dream big, but dreaming big without commensurate action backing your dreams is simply a deadly wishful thinking.
Can you imagine that Netherlands, a tiny country that is just a little bigger than Nigeria’s Zamfara state, has demonstrated that where there is the will, there must always be a way!
The Dutch State has emerged second-largest agricultural exporter by value in Europe, despite limited land, owing to its top-notch infrastructure, logistics, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative practices.
Based on data published by the World Trade Organization (WTO) for 2022, the 5 (five) European countries with the highest exports by value are:
Germany: €2,060,409 million
Netherlands: €916,169 million
France: €1,005,319 million
Ireland: €723,121 million
Belgium: €551,281 million
Netherlands and Zamfara state share a focus on agriculture, and face similar challenges related to climate change and resource management, Nigeria as a whole cannot be compared as of yet to the kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Dutch country took certain steps to get to where it is today. Its transitioning to become a major global exporter holds lessons for Nigeria. But we have learnt nothing.
“We’re big exporters in the Netherlands because we also have an amazing infrastructure and logistics in place. It’s top-notch,” Leonie van der Stijl, deputy consul general and head of the economic department, Kingdom of the Netherlands, said.
She added, “The port of Rotterdam is the biggest in Europe, so it’s also a hub to the hinterlands. We’re almost a port of Germany, even though Germany is not on the water. Our rivers flow through the Netherlands, all the way to Germany.
“There’s hardly any wilderness left in the Netherlands. We’ve chopped everything. When you fly over, you’ll see only squares of agricultural practices. Every metre in our country has been made for farming.”
You can imagine careful planning and seriously indoctrinating almost all the small population to cultivate the habit of feeding the nation.
Driven by food security concerns, the Netherlands set an ambitious goal 20 years ago to feed its 17 million people, double food production while halving resource use. It has made significant progress in that time, showcasing the potential of innovation and efficiency in agriculture.
Look at the most important aspect of their resolve 20 years ago, “to double food production and also halving resource use”. They need to feed about 17 million people and also realizing that for them to achieve that without hurting the economy, they will have to halve resource use.
“Unlike Nigeria where almost everything is season-bound such that you have just one harvest of certain crops every year, we have the greenhouse technologies down to tea, so we grow everything year-round.
“We have also done all of the research and all of the data for decades on how to keep the soil healthy, how to get the most yield from the best seeds (and that’s, I think, one of the things that Nigeria has found a tough thing to do),” said Stijl.
Over the past 30 years, the Dutch tomato industry has become the world leader in yield, producing more tomatoes per square mile than anywhere else (as it grows its tomatoes on only 6.9 square miles of land). The Netherlands enjoys high yields in other staple crops as well.
Nigeria, on the other hand, has the third largest area harvested for tomatoes, but the lowest yield among the top 25 producers.
Nigeria is not a match to the Netherlands in terms of yield as data from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations show that Africa’s most populous nation has failed to make appreciable efforts in increasing its farm yields, still recording the lowest yields per hectare among its African peers.
After the crops are harvested, products in staggering numbers are still lost from farmer to market because of the long logistics chain.
Stijl also spoke on the high level of insecurity that plagues both the farmers and the major markets.
Netherlands: From Tiny Land to Top Agricultural Exporter - 10 Key Lessons for Nigeria
Despite limited land, the Netherlands is the second-largest agricultural exporter in Europe thanks to:
Top-notch infrastructure and logistics: Rotterdam, Europe's biggest port, facilitates efficient transport.
Cutting-edge technologies: Dutch farmers utilize advanced greenhouse techniques for year-round production.
Innovative practices: Soil health, data-driven farming, and high-yielding seeds maximize output.
Focus on efficiency: They halved resource use while doubling food production in 20 years.
10 Lessons for Nigeria:
Prioritize infrastructure and logistics: Invest in efficient transportation networks and storage facilities.
Embrace technology: Explore greenhouse technologies and data-driven farming methods.
Innovate and adapt: Develop practices suited to local conditions and challenges.
Focus on resource efficiency: Reduce waste and optimize resource utilization.
Set ambitious goals: Aim for significant improvements in production and sustainability.
Learn from research: Conduct data-driven analysis and implement best practices.
Improve seed quality: Utilize high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties.
Reduce post-harvest losses: Invest in proper storage, handling, and transport infrastructure.
Address insecurity: Ensure safety for farmers and markets to encourage production and investment.
Seek collaboration: Engage with experts and learn from successful models like the Netherlands.
Nigeria's Challenge:
Despite having the third-largest area harvested for tomatoes, Nigeria suffers from the lowest yields among top producers, highlighting the need for significant improvement in agricultural practices and efficiency.
By implementing these lessons and addressing its challenges, Nigeria can leverage its vast agricultural potential and follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, becoming a major agricultural exporter in its own right.
Addendum:
You Need To Engage With Us To Learn More:Our company is one of the best companies in the Agro-Export business in Nigeria today. We train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
