Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
The Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) Africa has attributed Nigeria’s decline to fifth position in global cocoa and palm oil production to outdated practices.
The Vice Chairman of the Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) Africa, Fatai Afolabi, made this statement during a media briefing in Abuja yesterday to announce the launch of ISP Africa in May.
He said Nigeria’s reliance on fifty-year-old planting methods has hindered its ability to compete with countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, which have adopted modern technologies.
Afolabi emphasized the need for Nigeria to adapt to modern technologies and techniques in planting to remain competitive in the global market. He highlighted the importance of sustainable and efficient practices, such as renewable energy and zero diesel usage, to enhance productivity.
He said, “We cannot rely on outdated planting methods from fifty years ago and expect to compete with countries utilizing modern techniques. The only reason for instance why Malaysia and Indonesia have taken over Nigeria in palm oil is that they have changed their game in how they plant.”
On his part, the Chairman of ISP Africa, Shermal Perera, added that capacity building is crucial to addressing Nigeria’s production challenges.
He added, “ I think the important thing that we are trying to bring to Nigeria in terms of benefits is actually capacity building and we have seen that very clearly with what has happened between Malaysia and Indonesia.
“ We started at a very humble beginning learning from Nigeria, and many countries in Africa. What happened was we had developed oil palm, and cocoa rubber into paddy, high standard and high efficiency. Thereafter, Most of our managers, general managers, and supervisors were sought after by the industry in Indonesia.”
The ISP Africa launch, slated for May 24th in Abuja Nigeria, will convene industry stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, and agri-tech experts to collaboratively address the challenges facing the agricultural sector and explore innovative solutions.
