Role of Agriculture to a Nation’s Socio-Economic Growth

 Agriculture is the source of food for humans from terrestrial and aquatic (aquaculture) organisms; plants and animals. Agriculture in the rural areas is known to play a crucial role in the economy of developing countries, and provides the main source of food, income and employment to their populace. Through the interaction of humans with agricultural produce, economic development can be achieved. These factors come in diverse ways depending on the society and her people. They are discussed thus;

 

Provision of employment opportunities

Agriculture provides a huge number of job prospects for rural populations in undeveloped and emerging countries like Nigeria. Until the year 2000, agriculture was the primary source of employment all across the world. Although agricultural job growth has slowed, the number of employees in this sector has surpassed one billion, accounting for one-third of all workers at 28% of global employment. Agriculture employs 1.3 billion people globally, making it the second-largest source of employment after services. In the case of Nigeria, agriculture provides numerous employment opportunities for unskilled laborers in rural areas of Nigeria and helps to reduce rural-urban migration.

 

Poverty Alleviation

There is a lot of evidence that agriculture may help reduce poverty in ways other than directly affecting farmer income. Agricultural development has the potential to drive economic development outside of the agricultural sector, resulting in increased employment and growth creation. Increased agricultural production boosts farm revenue, increases food availability, lowers food costs, and creates more job possibilities in both rural and urban regions. Consumer demand for goods and services provided by industries other than agriculture may increase as income levels rise. Such connections (or the multiplier effect') between agricultural and broader economic growth have allowed emerging nations to expand into other sectors with faster growth and higher incomes.

 Gender Equality and Inclusion

Women make approximately 43 percent of the agricultural workforce in developing nations. Many of them are smallholder farmers, and women participate in all elements of rural life, from paid work to trading and marketing. They cultivate crops and animals, gather water and wood for fuel, and provide care for family members. Women are also more likely than males to spend their earnings in their families to enhance education, nutrition, and health. Women also engage in other agriculture activities like fermentation which is less demanding than farming. Women have historically been aware of fermentation techniques, which have been passed down through generations from moms to daughters. On the marketing side of the business, it allows women to leave the homestead to make money not just for the farm family, but also, and most importantly, for themselves. This offers women more freedom, helps them to grow more confident, allows them to connect with other women, allows for the development of business and other social relationships, and generally gives them more status and a greater voice in a family, as well increased standing in the community.

 Food Supply and Security

Agriculture is the primary source of food supply for all countries throughout the world, whether they are underdeveloped, developing, or developed. The need for food is growing rapidly as a result of the high population pressures in undeveloped and emerging nations, as well as their rapid growth. If agriculture fails to fulfil the growing demand for food items, it is shown to harm the economy's growth rate. Raising food supply through the agriculture sector is thus critical for a country's economic prosperity.

 Traditional Medicine Supply and Health

Medicinal plants are cultivated or groomed mostly by rural farmers firstly for their consumption as remedies or therapeutics in their day-to-day life. The sale of traditional plant parts as medicinal products is a means of in income generation. This occurs on a large scale as input for pharmaceutical companies. Another option is retail sales as potions, herbs and spices.

The potential effects of agricultural operations on health and nutrition can be seen through a variety of pathways. One area of effect is the capacity of households to produce, acquire, and consume more, better, and cheaper food. Bio-fortification initiatives to develop and spread crops rich in micronutrients like Vitamin A, Zinc, and Iron have lately increased vitamin and mineral intake among consumers in Africa and Asia.

In conclusion, quoting Muir, “Agricultural progress is essential to provide food for a growing non-agricultural labor force, raw materials for industrial production, and savings and tax revenue to support the development of the rest of the economy, earn foreign exchange, and provide a growing market for domestic manufactures”. We may conclude from the above points that agricultural growth is essential for a country's economic development especially developing countries like Nigeria.

Author:  Timileyin Oladayo and Josephine O. Adebayo

Graphics: Timileyin Oladayo

© Food and Agricultural Technology Unit -PARG 2021. 

Edition 1, Volume 1, Article 3