By Muh'd Shafi'u Saleh Stakeholders have urged federal and state governments, along with large-scale farmers, to invest significan...
By Muh'd Shafi'u Saleh
Stakeholders have urged federal and state governments, along with large-scale farmers, to invest significantly in the exploration of solid minerals available in their states.
This resolution was reached at the 2025 African Mineral Summit and Exhibition held in Yola, Adamawa State, on Tuesday. The event brought together policymakers, farmers, and experts to discuss the need to explore the untapped natural resources endowed by nature.
In his welcome address, Professor Bashir Aliyu, Chairman of the Summit and former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) at Modibbo Adama University Yola, described the summit as a strategic step toward addressing Africa's fragile economic status.
Professor Aliyu emphasized that boosting competitive engagement in agriculture and the solid mineral value chain could bridge macro- and microeconomic gaps, including poverty and unemployment.
He stressed the importance of promoting sustainable agricultural and solid mineral research development, appealing to experts to intensify efforts in exploring these sectors for the benefit of society.
Delivering his remarks, the convener of the summit, Dr. John Yohannah Pakka, explained that the summit aimed to bridge the gap between agriculture and solid mineral value chain development through grassroots productivity, financial inclusion models, investment sharing, export trade participation, and capacity building.
Dr. Pakka underscored the urgent need to modernize farming techniques, transitioning from manual methods to mechanized approaches to achieve higher output among the majority of farmers.
He noted that developed countries have advanced in farming due to their adoption of mechanization and technology, resulting in high yields during both rainy and dry seasons.
Dr. Pakka suggested that local farmers could form cooperatives or clusters to acquire advanced agricultural machinery to boost crop production.
In his speech, Adamawa State Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Hon. John Ishaya Dabari, described the summit as timely, considering the urgent need to diversify the economy away from crude oil dependency.
Hon. Dabari added that the gathering in the northeast served as a wake-up call for all stakeholders. He urged an end to illegal mining activities in the state and the country at large.
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