The Emir of Pai in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Pai III, has advocated the use of reliable data, community-based agriculture and targeted skills development as key strategies for tackling poverty and improving livelihoods in Nigeria.
The monarch made the call at a one-day poverty alleviation workshop organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) in Abuja.
Pai said poverty reduction programmes would achieve greater impact when they were designed and implemented on the basis of accurate data that clearly identifies the needs and challenges of specific communities.
According to him, the lack of credible and comprehensive data remains one of the factors undermining the effectiveness of some development interventions.
He urged governments and development partners to adopt community-driven approaches that enable interventions to address the actual needs of beneficiaries.
The Emir identified agriculture as one of the sectors with significant potential to reduce poverty, particularly in rural communities.
He proposed a model where communities are supported to cultivate between five and 10 hectares of farmland, with access to tractors, farming equipment and other necessary inputs.
Under the model, he said, proceeds from the farms could be retained within the communities and channelled into further development and economic empowerment.
Pai also stressed the importance of establishing stronger market linkages for farmers, noting that poor access to markets often results in post-harvest losses and deprives producers of adequate returns.
He observed that middlemen frequently benefit more from agricultural value chains than the farmers who produce the commodities, making it necessary to create more direct and efficient routes to markets.
The traditional ruler further called for greater investment in youth empowerment through vocational education, apprenticeship and other skills acquisition programmes.
He said training initiatives should be based on the interests, abilities and economic opportunities available to beneficiaries.
Pai also encouraged support for young people interested in sports and other areas where they could develop sustainable careers and contribute to the economy.
He urged journalists and development correspondents to investigate successful poverty reduction models from other countries and provide constructive recommendations to policymakers.
“We do not necessarily have to copy everything from elsewhere. We should identify what works, adapt it to our environment and use it to improve the living conditions of our people,” he said.
The Emir also identified rural infrastructure, particularly road networks, as an important component of poverty reduction.
He explained that good rural roads would improve the movement of farm produce, people and goods, while connecting previously isolated communities to markets and other economic opportunities.
Pai called for stronger cooperation among governments, development partners, traditional institutions, local communities and the media in designing and implementing sustainable poverty reduction programmes.
He said a coordinated approach would help create more economic opportunities, particularly for rural populations, and ensure that development interventions produce lasting benefits.
The workshop attracted media practitioners and other stakeholders who deliberated on practical approaches to poverty reduction, inclusive development and sustainable livelihoods in Nigeria.