In a bid to enhance food security and support farmers in Nigeria, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has announced the distribution of thousands of mechanized equipment to farmers across the country.
The minister made this revelation during a visit to Bwari cluster farms and Government Girls Secondary School Dutse in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, on Tuesday. As part of the visit, he provided support to farmers at the cluster farms by distributing 20 sprayers, 30 bags of fertilizers, one carton of insecticides, pesticides, 10 organic fertilizers, and five bags of chicken feed to the cluster farmers.
The minister also provided student farmers with assistance in the form of various farm inputs, including fertilizers and sprayers, among other necessary items.
“While I don’t have the exact number of implements currently, I know it’s in thousands. We’re talking about tractors of different sizes, harvesters, planters, and other machinery,” the minister said.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the minister noted that October 16 is World Food Day, a day designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) to highlight the importance of food to livelihoods worldwide.
“Nigeria, as an active member of this organization, has been celebrating World Food Day for many years,” he stated. “This year, we decided to visit the field to see firsthand what’s happening and to support our farmers directly.”
The minister acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers, including insecurity in some areas, but noted that progress has been made in many regions. He expressed optimism that these achievements align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
In addition to supporting farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has partnered with the Office of the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to revitalize young farmers through farmers’ clubs in schools. The minister also assured farmers of the federal government’s commitment to providing support for dry season farming.
“We are having plans for them and they should be able to watch out. In the next one month, we will be in the dry season farming and we are supporting back-to-back farming so that anywhere we are having an opportunity to have irrigation farming, we are going to support that.
“And we are partnering with all our stakeholders under the National Agricultural Group Scheme Agro-Pocket Project and working together so that when it comes to input distribution, what they have as their own program will be captured in terms of the support that will go today.”
Addressing the persistent issue of high food prices, the minister explained that food insecurity is influenced by various factors, including accessibility and production. He highlighted the positive impact of increased production and reduced post-harvest losses on food prices, noting that prices have begun to decline in recent months.
The minister reiterated the federal government’s determination to address insecurity, emphasizing the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development as a step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of farmers and livestock.