Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar kyari, says the Federal Government is committed to implementing stringent measures in the distribution of agro-inputs to genuine farmers, to ensure transparency in the forth coming Dry/Wet season farming.
Senator Kyari, who spoke during a courtesy visit by the Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, in Abuja, pointed out that the aim was to drive agricultural transformation, enhance productivity and ensure that farmers have necessary support to thrive in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his declaration of emergence on food security.
Kyari said “our goal also includes ensuring food security and driving down food inflation,” adding that the Governor’s visit was a substantiation of the strong partnership and collaboration the government was striving to build between the States and Federal Government in collective efforts to ensure food security and agricultural development in Nigeria.
He recalled that agricultural sector in Sokoto State had experienced remarkable achievements since the administration came to office, pointing out, the Governor’s efforts towards the provision of agricultural input support to farmers in the state, provision of free assorted seeds and agro chemical to farmers for the 2023/2024 dry season farming and the recently constructed 450 hectares Kware Irrigation Scheme.
The Minister stated that it was imperative to take the lessons acquired during the review of the implementation of the Wheat Dry Season Farming in the 15 participating States including Sokoto State to ensure that the state add quantifiable value to the agricultural development agenda.
He pointed out that Expression of Interest for the Dry Season production of Rice, Maize and Cassava sent to all 36 States and FCT captured a designed structure that speaks to farmers’ data integrity, inventory of available Irrigable lands as well as functional irrigation infrastructure with primary aim of determining the readiness of participating states.
The Minister added that the Ministry is already getting responses from some States.
Speaking further, he stated that the Ministry had fully aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President and was poised to implement programmes in line with the vision for agricultural sector.
The Minister noted that the President was concerned about capacity of farmers to access agro-inputs even at the current subsidized rate as observed during the last intervention for Dry season Wheat Production programme, pointing out that to ameliorate it, further support to farmers was underway.
In his remarks, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto stated that his State is the largest agrarian State that is into Dry and Wet Season farming of millet, maize and perishable items such as onions, tomatoes, garlic etc.
He pointed out that last month, his administration distributed 10 trucks of free fertilizers to farmers and were able to identify genuine farmers through the Village Heads, District Heads and also through the leadership of the farmers in the Local Government Areas of the State, adding that farmers were supported with all the inputs, implements and pesticides, all in an effort to subsidize agricultural activities in the State.
The Governor highlighted his major concerns to include; banditry, insecurity affecting some parts of the State.
In his remarks, Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abdullahi Sabi Aliyu, congratulated the Governor on his victory at the Supreme Court affirming his election as the Governor of Sokoto State. He expressed optimism that, the issue of Portfolio /fake farmers will be dealt with having heard same issue with other Governors that visited. The Minister, therefore stressed that “no more hiding place for fake farmers”.
In a similar vein, Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, had during his visit to the Ministry recently, also expressed his commitment to partner with the Federal Government.
He noted that his administration had secured over a billion dollars investment for Agricultural mechanization and technology within the first six months.
Bago revealed that Niger State vast arable land, water resources and dams has positioned itself as a pilot state for agricultural development in Nigeria while he reiterated his commitment to agricultural production, animal husbandry and aquaculture, noting that all these are potentials for creating employment, foreign exchange earnings and self-sufficiency in food security.