Federal Government says the present administration has demonstrated strong political will to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector by making food security a top priority.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, stated this during the distribution of inputs to smallholder farmers in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
He explained that the Federal Government is implementing numerous economic reforms to boost productive capacity, create jobs, and reduce the cost of living.
According to him, the ministry of Agriculture and food security has rolled out numerous programmes and projects to address some of the challenges faced by farmers and make food available, accessible and affordable to all nigerians.
Represented by the Director, Department of Horticulture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Alhaji Yarima Uba, Kyari said they were committed to ensuring that all sectoral programmes and initiatives of the present administration in the sector are fully aligned with achieving the President’s priorities.
Senator Abubakar Kyari said, the federal and state governments continually engage towards addressing all issues affecting national food security.
According to him, the ministry also remain committed to promoting and creating synergies with non governmental organizations as well as the private sector to enhance efforts at ensuring food security, economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.
He pointed out that, the ministry has considered the implementation of short term plans and support mechanisms to make essential farm inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers through a transparent and accountable process.
Abubakar Kyari urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs to produce more food for the nation.
“Our foremost concern is the facilitation of agro-inputs and basic farm machinery to small scale farmers who are constrained by the high market cost of these essential inputs and need assistance”
Radio Nigeria reports that the inputs distributed at no cost to the farmers include power tillers, herbicides, liquid fertilizers, knapsack sprayers, water pumps among others to farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs and IDP’s.
Usman Mohammed Zaria
