AKU: An African Journal of Contemporary Research

It is illogical and underscoring that despite the percentage of Nigerian labour force involved in agricultural production, particularly in rural areas, the country remains underemployed and underdeveloped. Nigeria cannot significantly reduce poverty, increase per capita income, and transform into a modern economy without focusing on agricultural development. Public discourse on investments in agriculture in Nigeria has focused mainly on aids and grants, while the role of policies implementation and domestic investments in large-scale agriculture remains unaddressed. Against this background, this paper explores the imperative of reviving the agricultural sector by encouraging domestic investments in large-scale agriculture in Nigeria. The paper also acknowledged the role agriculture played in early stage of the nation's development as an agrarian economy. More broadly, the paper examines how investments in largescale agriculture can increase productivity, reduce unemployment, and transform the economic, as well as achieve poverty alleviation agenda. Additionally, this paper investigated the challenges of the 21st century for Nigeria's large-scale investment in agriculture, as well as contemporary skepticism about the role of agriculture in Nigeria. Finally, the paper proffered viable recommendations as measures to enhance agricultural productivity and employment in Nigeria. Among others, it recommended that government should provide more funding for agricultural universities in Nigeria to carryout researches on all areas of agricultural production. The Central Bank of Nigeria should also come up with a stable policy for loan disbursement to farmers at a reasonable interest payback. In addition, government should make and implement friendly policies framework for efficient agricultural sector that can accelerate the attainment of Nigeria's dream of achieving the targeted growth rate and the proposed vision of becoming one among the 20 leading world economies by the year 2020.

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