Relevance of Big Data Analytics in Agriculture: Focus on Nigeria Agricultural Sector

Agriculture is the most significant sector in Nigeria in terms of employment and GDP. A number of the agricultural related business interest in Nigeria are constrained by a challenging business environment with defective and limited public infrastructure and overbearing government bureaucracies. Agricultural exports from Nigeria are not competitive because of phytosanitory concerns resulting from disease and pest attacks. Moreover, inefficient farming practices affects crop yield and increases waste in the production process. Dealing with these supply chain concerns can be complicated and overwhelming for industry players. As big data analytics tools are increasingly adopted for agricultural purposes and use cases in more developed countries, this study focuses on how it can be adopted in Nigeria and included in a holistic solution from a business interest perspective, to mitigate challenges and to become more competitive both locally and internationally.