Nigeria close to achieving food security, agric minister declares

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian citizen has unfettered access to abundant and nutritious food. Mr Kyari said this at the launch of 2025 dry season farming and distribution of Ramadan Palliatives to the people of Kebbi by Governor Nasir Idris in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday. “President Tinubu has consistently provided a conducive environment and empowerment to farmers to increase yields towards the attainment of food security, which is already on the horizon. The federal government will continue to work together with states and local government councils to bring prosperity through agricultural production.
“I commend the initiative of our amiable and esteemed Kebbi Governor, Nasir Idris, for placing a premium on developing the agricultural sector which witnessed bumper harvests and reduction of food prices. The emphasis attached to dry season farming is a portent vehicle for food security,” the minister said. Mr Kyari expressed delight over the present administration’s distribution of thousands of water pumping machines, sprayers, power tillers, and thousands of litres of herbicides, pesticides, and organic fertilisers. Launching the distribution exercise, Mr Idris said the government was aware of farmers’ challenges of dry season farming that necessitated his administration to provide them with the required agricultural inputs to reduce hardship in cultivation.
On Ramadan palliatives, Mr Idris announced that all segments of the society had been considered for allocation. Earlier, the secretary to the state government, Yakubu Bala-Tafida, warned that security agencies had been empowered to arrest any person selling off the agricultural items provided to them. The Commissioner for Agriculture, Shehu Ma’azu, stated that Kebbi started its dry season farming drive, sustained and intensified during the tenure of former Governors Adamu Aleiro, Sa’idu Dakingari, and Atiku Bagudu, respectively. “Kebbi is indeed a hub for agriculture, and the agriculturally bright landscape of the country by sustaining and intensifying the initiative by Gov. Idris-led administration,” he said. NAN