Special Agriculture as a Tool for Sustainable Agricultural Industrialization in Nigeria: A Case Study of Niger State

Abstract

Over the years Agricultural-Industrialization has been a serious issue in agricultural development of any developing country particularly Nigeria. Siting Agricultural-Industries adequately has been bastardized by social driving forces that include political wheel, regional and tribal sentiments. This research has developed platform where establishing Agricultural-Industries are based on places with high production capacity of raw materials that will guarantee easy accessibility, reduction in transportation risk, reducing perishability and drudgery. It further categorized Agro-Industries into Mega, Mini and Minor, with Zone A comprising Gbako, Edati, Bida and Lavun Local Governments leading in rice, maize, sugarcane, melon and cassava production, Zone B has Shiroro, Rafi, Paikoro, Muyan and Bosso leading in yam and sorghum production only, then Zone C has Wushishi, Mashegu, Magama and Kontagora leading in groundnut and beans production. This implies that, to set-up any Agro-Industries for any of these commodities outlined above, the place of interest should be that with high production capacity than others i.e. for Mega Agro-Industrial category.