Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abubakar Kyari, has assured that the ministry is working to deflate prices of food in the country.
He hinged the assurance on the plans by the ministry to exceed cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland in food production all year round.
Speaking, yesterday, when Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, visited him in Abuja, Kyari expressed optimism that massive cultivation across the country would bring down the prices of food items and contribute to stabilising the economy.
He said the Federal Government “is concerned” about the skyrocketing prices of food items, as well as the porous nature of the country’s borders.
The minister said: “The ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanisation. We are grateful for the support and guidance of the President as we work towards a more food-secure Nigeria.
“I would like to reiterate that the ministry is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu. We are poised to implement our programmes in line with his vision for the agriculture sector.”
He, however, underscored the need to tackle some of the challenges observed during the Wheat Dry Season Farming in the 15 participating states, to forestall recurrence in the second phase for rice, maize, and cassava cultivation, slated to commence this month.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is fully committed to addressing the issues of round-tripping and poor validation of farmers’ data. We are dedicated to implementing stringent measures in the forthcoming Dry/Wet Season Farming for Rice, Maize, and Cassava to ensure transparent distribution and target genuine farmers.
“Collaboration with states, local councils, traditional rulers, local farmers’ associations, non- governmental organisations and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be crucial in achieving the desired objectives. We seek the support of all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to overcome the challenges and ensure a successful intervention, despite time constraints,” he said.
Oyebanji remarked that he was in the ministry to explore areas of collaboration.
He said his state had begun the update of farmers’ database, adding that often, “real farmers do not get subsidised farm inputs.”
The governor revealed that the administration had embarked on the reorientation of farmers to see farming as a business, noting that Nigeria has yet to fully tap into the possibilities of agriculture; hence all hands must be on deck to ensure food security in the country.
