Assessing the Nexus of Carbon Emissions and Agricultural Growth in Nigeria (2000-2022)

Despite efforts by the government to curb the existing suffering of poverty and food insecurity in the country through diversification and restructuring, amongst others, the poverty and hunger rate is still on the increase. This triggered a 10-day hunger protest in the country by the citizenry. This can be ameliorated if studies had been /can be centered on the nexus of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and agricultural growth. However, the dearth of studies on carbon emissions on agricultural growth suggests the need to assess Nigeria’s carbon dioxide emissions and their effect on agricultural growth (2000-2022). Data were collected through secondary sources, 40 and using a panel regression analysis, the study examines the relationships among CO2 emissions, agricultural growth, and socioeconomic determinants such as urban population, trade openness, and agricultural contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The results revealed that the normalized long-run cointegrating coefficient for CO2 was 1, indicating a one-to-one relationship between CO2 emissions and economic growth in the long term. This implies that a one percent increase in agricultural growth would directly lead to a one percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the long run. Additionally, the study finds that trade openness and agricultural contribution to GDP are associated with increased CO2 emissions. Finally, the ordinary least square showed that a one percent increase in agriculture production is associated with a 0.103168 percent decrease in CO2 emissions in the long run. Urban population growth and trade openness were associated with CO2 reductions by 0.738965 and 0.015665 percent, respectively, indicating that 53 increasing population and trade openness could also mean that carbon dioxide emissions can potentially cause less environmental degradation in the country. However, the study suggests the need to diversify the Nigerian economy by promoting industries that are less dependent on natural resources and more focused on knowledge-based and service-oriented sectors. This could involve investing in education and training programs, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and implementing policies to support the growth of new industries. Also, optimizing trade 60 policies for sustainable development by encouraging environmentally friendly trade practices, promoting the adoption of clean technologies in industries, and incentivizing sustainable production and consumption patterns will make the economy more resilient and less vulnerable to external shocks, thereby promoting economic development. Key words: Carbon dioxide emissions, Agricultural growth, Economic growth, Sustainable agriculture