Poverty Reduction Strategy
Introduction
With one-fifth of the world's population not owning land or possessions at all. Millions of poor rural people depend on farming for their livelihood, but they control very little land. They may have no legal rights to the land they farm, or they may work as hired labour on large farms. Low incomes and rural poverty are often the result. Taking into consideration by the world's standard the average person in the world lives on less than a dollar a day.
In recent years, poverty reduction continues to be a challenge in Nigeria. 69 million people, or 54% of the population, lived below the poverty line in 2004. the Nigerian government has promoted agricultural growth through several policies noting that agriculture “outperforms all other sectors in reducing poverty” as it is the sector responsible for the most employment, especially among the poor. These policies including; the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS) I and II, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), the National Food Security Program (NSFP), and initiatives for crops including cassava and rice. Partly as a result of these programs, agricultural growth rates jumped from 3.5% annually in 1990-1999 to 5.9% annually in 2000-2007.
If several agricultural subsectors reach official growth targets, Nigeria will experience 9.5% annual agricultural growth and 8.0% annual GDP growth. Moreover, the poverty rate will be halved by 2017
Recommendation
1 Land Reforms
Redistributing land to small-scale farmers can do much to reduce their poverty. When rural families have land, and secure control over that land, they are likely to grow more food and see their incomes rise. Land security can mean food security.
Land reform can increase both employment and income. Small farms employ more people per hectare than the larger units, often to the benefit of the landless and unemployed. And owning land means that family farmers often secure the bank
With one-fifth of the world's population not owning land or possessions at all. Millions of poor rural people depend on farming for their livelihood, but they control very little land. They may have no legal rights to the land they farm, or they may work as hired labour on large farms. Low incomes and rural poverty are often the result. Taking into consideration by the world's standard the average person in the world lives on less than a dollar a day.
In recent years, poverty reduction continues to be a challenge in Nigeria. 69 million people, or 54% of the population, lived below the poverty line in 2004. the Nigerian government has promoted agricultural growth through several policies noting that agriculture “outperforms all other sectors in reducing poverty” as it is the sector responsible for the most employment, especially among the poor. These policies including; the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS) I and II, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), the National Food Security Program (NSFP), and initiatives for crops including cassava and rice. Partly as a result of these programs, agricultural growth rates jumped from 3.5% annually in 1990-1999 to 5.9% annually in 2000-2007.
If several agricultural subsectors reach official growth targets, Nigeria will experience 9.5% annual agricultural growth and 8.0% annual GDP growth. Moreover, the poverty rate will be halved by 2017
Recommendation
1 Land Reforms
Redistributing land to small-scale farmers can do much to reduce their poverty. When rural families have land, and secure control over that land, they are likely to grow more food and see their incomes rise. Land security can mean food security.
Land reform can increase both employment and income. Small farms employ more people per hectare than the larger units, often to the benefit of the landless and unemployed. And owning land means that family farmers often secure the bank