The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said the Federal Government has implemented humanitarian interventions and emergency responses to cushion the effects of the current food crisis in the country.
Kyari stated this on Monday in Akure during the distribution of farm inputs to farmers aimed at boosting agricultural production and ensuring food security.
Represented by the Director of Extension Services in the ministry, Mr Ayodele Olawumi, the minister said the government had introduced various programmes to tackle challenges undermining the nation’s food security objectives.
He explained that the Tinubu administration had embarked on bold economic reforms designed to stimulate productivity, create jobs and reduce the cost of living, adding that the input distribution aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government has declared food security a national priority, culminating in the declaration of a state of emergency on food security in July 2023,” Kyari said.
He reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to transforming the agricultural sector, noting that food security remains one of the central pillars of his administration’s priorities.
Kyari disclosed that the ministry had reviewed existing agricultural programmes to identify necessary reforms and realign them with the core mandate of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
“As part of our short-term intervention measures, we have designed support mechanisms to make essential farm inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers under a transparent and accountable system,” he added.
He noted that the interventions were aimed at increasing national food production and ensuring stability in food availability and prices while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his remarks, the Oyo State Coordinator of the ministry, Mr Sunday Ojo, said the intervention was targeted at empowering smallholder farmers to enhance productivity and resilience within local farming communities.
He described agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy, noting that smallholder farmers constitute the majority of the farming population.
Ojo added that the provision of quality seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals and other farm tools would help boost yields, improve livelihoods and strengthen the nation’s food basket.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), the Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) and other stakeholders commended the Federal Government for the initiative.
Items distributed to farmers included Pesti Zyme, knapsack sprayers, water pumps, high-pressure sprayers, power tillers, dehydrators and Ultimax Plus.
