Lagos — The recent outcry over the scarcity of groundnut in Kano by small-scale industrialists who rely on the commodity for production of groundnut oil is not only a tragedy but also a sad reminder of the extent of neglect the nation's agricultural sector has suffered.

Kano was famous for one thing; the groundnut pyramids, which were an indicator of the buoyancy of the historic town and indeed Northern Nigeria in groundnut.

The towers of groundnut pyramids not only served as major attractions but also had a meaningful impact on the economy, contributing immensely to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) aside providing a viable source of employment to the country's workforce. In 1968-1969, the country recorded a bumper harvest of 1.3 million tonnes.

It is however disheartening that today we cannot produce enough of the same commodity to meet local demands. The World Bank report of 1986 indicated that groundnut production between 1970 and 1982 dropped by 64 per cent and is yet to recover.

The alarm raised by the chairman of the Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Alhaji Umaru Lawan, was due to the inability to get the crop to produce groundnut oil and to supply groundnut cake for the poultry feed producers who rely on its 41 per cent protein content for their product. This has led to adverse effects on their businesses including the loss of jobs by many.

The situation is not peculiar to Kano, since other parts of the country suffer similar decline and neglect in their cash crop productions. Today, cocoa the cash crop that once sustained the vibrant economy of the Western region is struggling for attention and relevance again from farmers. Ditto for cotton, palm produce, cashew nut and many more.

The reason for this is not far fetched. We have all abandoned the farmlands in pursuit of petrol-dollar. Those who could have made the difference in farming are busy toiling in urban centres chasing illegal businesses. This is therefore a clarion call on the government to embark on policies that will revive farming and reverse the trend of unwholesome neglect it has suffered over the years.

Farmers need to be encouraged more than ever before to embark on large-scale cultivation that will assist other sectors of the economy. Some of them, due to losses in the past caused by natural disasters on their farmland have restricted themselves to the cultivation of few crops such as cowpea, sorghum, pearl millet and others. They deserve to be reassured by government through policies and programmes that will enhance their confidence and allay fears of the past.

With the fall currently being experienced in petroleum prices, there is the need for the nation to embrace farming in the face of dwindling fortunes from oil revenue. It must be noted that what has happened in the case of groundnut scarcity was not due to natural disasters but rather an increase in the domestic consumption of this commodity.

That this is happening at the time of economic recession in the United States of America, Europe and other industrialised nations is a proof of the unreliability of oil as a commodity and the risk of over dependence on it. Malaysia is today reckoned with as a super power in palm oil, the same commodity which they humbly borrowed the samples from Nigeria in the 1960s.

This is time to also resist the temptation to embark on unguided importation due to local demands particularly when and if such commodities will not stimulate the economy and businesses. Therefore, the importation of groundnut oil at the expense of local producers must be resisted with a strong determination that will ensure the survival of the small-scale manufacturers who will in turn provide jobs and boost the economy.

A commitment to this will not only guarantee the return of groundnut pyramids and cocoa boom but also ensure that the labour of our heroes past will not be in vain.