DW AGRICULTURE

Despite numerous government programs to support the local banks in lending to the agriculture sector, availability of credit to local producers remains highly constrained. Furthermore, when credit is rarely made available to Nigerian farmers and processors, the cost of debt finance is prohibitive. Indigenous owned agricultural production is suffering, and now large-scale foreign firms with low cost international financing are expanding operations at the expense of locals. Th

DW Agriculture provides small holder farmers with the most suitable genetic varieties of crops and animals for their site specific conditions. At a local level this approach increases yields and helps ensure food security for vulnerable communities At a national level, this approach helps reduce food imports and the demand for foreign currency. ----- WATCH ON CNBC AFRICA ----- 'Africa’s annual food import bill is about US$35 billion and estimated to rise to US$110 billion by