The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said that the agricultural initiatives introduced by the Federal Government are in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises making food available, affordable and accessible to all citizens.
Speaking in Maiduguri on Sunday, the minister stated that these reforms are aimed at addressing the persistent challenges of food insecurity, improving local production, and reducing the country’s overreliance on imported food.
Senator Kyari identified insecurity, climate-related disasters and seasonal flooding as key obstacles that have weakened agricultural output across the country in recent years.
In a bid to reverse this trend, the government has rolled out specific interventions, one of which is a nationwide wheat cultivation programme intended to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign wheat.
The minister observed that Nigeria currently brings in over six million tonnes of wheat each year, a figure he described as unnecessary given the country’s potential for domestic cultivation.
According to him, wheat farming has now expanded to more states, with Cross River becoming the first in the southern region to participate in the programme.
He noted that the country has also made progress in rice production, crediting these gains to the support provided by the Federal Government through fertiliser distribution and other essential inputs. These efforts, he revealed, contributed to the harvest of more than 58,000 tonnes of rice, some of which were supplied to states recently affected by flooding.
The minister further stressed the importance of aligning the needs of both producers and consumers. He acknowledged that while 80 percent of Nigeria’s food is grown by local farmers, a large number of Nigerians still struggle to feed themselves due to high food prices.
He maintained that the government’s objective is not only to increase food production but also to ensure that food is affordable for everyone.
Senator Kyari also highlighted the urgency of preparing for the country’s growing population, which is projected to exceed 400 million by the year 2050.
He said the government is encouraging the mechanisation of agriculture and promoting youth involvement in the sector to improve productivity and sustainability.
He advised farmers who benefit from government-provided equipment to make responsible use of such assets and deploy them in ways that support communal food production efforts.
Speaking on the subject of international partnerships, Kyari revealed that Nigeria has signed agreements with countries like Brazil and Belarus to boost its capacity in food processing, preservation and aggregation.
These collaborations are expected to help reduce the volume of food wasted after harvest and improve overall output in the agricultural sector.
Turning to storage facilities, the minister admitted that although there are several silo complexes across the country, only three are currently in working condition.
He assured that the ministry is actively working with partners to revitalise the dormant storage facilities in order to enhance food security.
According to Kyari, the reforms being implemented are not short-term solutions but part of a long-term strategy to ensure Nigeria is capable of feeding its population independently in the future.
