LAFIA FOOD ECONOMY AND THE EMERGENCE OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS A THEMATIC DISCOURSE

Abstract

Lafia area is naturally endowed with abundant natural resources – suitable environment and arable land that supports every kind of agricultural activitity and crops production. The area is also well watered and falls within the Guinea Savanna vegetational zone of Nigeria. It is largely because of this natural endowment and the people who are largely farmers, that the area came to be regarded as agricultural hub of the present Nasarawa State. Lafia is a place to fall back on even during famine and drought because of ceaseless supply of agricultural products in the area. This in fact, led to the emergence of multinational corporations like United African Company UAC and the sitting of a Multimillion Naira Lafia Agricultural Development Project LADP in the 1940s and 1970s respectively. It is interesting to note that, the UAC operates in the area just for the purpose of purchasing and encouraging the production of cash crops while the LADP went into food and crops production, agricultural extension program, improved seed production and teaching local farmers on improve agricultural production techniques. The study employs both primary and secondary sources of data collection and adopts qualitative and quantitative methods of historical research in its analysis.