Nigeria can leverage its multilateral ties with the countries of the Caribbean region to boost agriculture and ensure food security for its citizens especially now that the nation is facing acute food shortages and many suffering from malnutrition.
Indications to this development emerged on Monday when the Consular General of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Levi Odoe called on Nigeria to exploit the skill and expertise of the Caribbean nations to boost its food production capacity.
Odoe, who is also the envoy of the Republic of Guyana to Africa on Trade and Investment, said "my organization is here to promote agriculture and food security because of the necessity of food. This method we are suggesting is about planting in your gardens. "I think by a simple method of backyard garden we would have more food."
On efforts to strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and Caribbean countries, Odoe said some Nigerian entrepreneurs are already exploiting the opportunities presented by the South-South Cooperation to expand exports to countries such as Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil and Guyana. He pointed out that some countries have had to lease land for agriculture in the islands and ship them back to their country.
He decried the inability of Nigeria to take advantage of its membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stressing that the country is big enough to ship its agro-products to the markets of the Caribbean countries and the whole of Latin American countries.
He said "Nigeria is a member of WTO but the membership is so silent because the country is not using the privileges and opportunities that will make Nigerian products available in South, Latin America, the Caribbean and others. Nigerian products are very good but the country must create a structure that will make it access the markets for its goods in the Caribbean.
"Nigerian products as a member of the WTO can be brought to the Caribbean, South and Latin American countries. I went to Venezuela and I saw some footwear imported from Nigeria. The chamber of commerce and international organizations should look for markets for Nigerian products. The Caribbean, Latin and South America are huge markets for Nigeria."
According to an expert who does not want his name in print, Nigeria must also expand the opportunities to have access to the Caribbean and Latin American markets by ensuring proper standards for agro products.
