The Federal Government Saturday distributed farm implements to 90 groups of smallholder farmers in Imo State as part of efforts to attain food security nationwide.
The exercise took place in Owerri and was conducted by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, represented by a director in the ministry, Dr Iyere-Usiahon Perpetua. The implements were distributed to farmers drawn from commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with Special Needs and Internally Displaced Persons.
Kyari said the programme was a step toward delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, noting that food security was a key goal for every nation.
“This is an international priority reflected in the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,” he said.
The minister said the administration was addressing challenges affecting food security through economic reforms aimed at improving productivity, job creation and affordability. “To address the underlying challenges impacting the attainment of our national food security goals, the present administration is implementing numerous economic reforms to stimulate productive capacity, create jobs, and reduce cost of living,” he said.
He listed the farm tools distributed to include power tillers, herbicides, liquid fertilizers, knapsack sprayers and water pumps.
Kyari recalled that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security in July 2023. “In this regard, I want to use this opportunity to assure you that this administration has demonstrated total political will to transform the Agriculture sector of our dear country by making food security a top priority,” he said.
He added that since assuming office on Aug. 21, 2023, the ministry had reviewed initiatives to align them with its mandate. “Since our assumption of office on Aug. 21, 2023, we have examined what needs to change and what we need to do to realign existing initiatives and programmes that are on course to be in line with the core mandate of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,” Kyari said.
According to him, several programmes and projects had been introduced to address farmers’ challenges and ensure food availability. “Accordingly, and going forward, we commit to ensuring that all our sectoral programmes and initiatives of Government in the sector are completely aligned to actualising the Presidential priority,” he said.
Kyari said the Federal and State Governments were engaging to address food security issues and building partnerships. “We also remain committed to promoting and creating synergies with Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector to enhance efforts at ensuring food security, economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction,” he said.
He said the ministry had adopted short-term plans to make farm inputs more affordable. “The ministry has considered the implementation of short term plans and support mechanisms to make essential farm inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers through a transparent and accountable process,” he said.
Kyari said the focus was on supporting small-scale farmers affected by high input costs. “Our foremost concern is the facilitation of agro-inputs and basic farm machinery to small-scale farmers, who are constrained by the high market cost of these essential inputs, and thus need assistance,” he said.
He added that the programme aimed to boost food production, support farmers and advance the Sustainable Development Goals, zero hunger.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Imo State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Alexander Onwumere, urged the Federal Government to sustain the programme and expressed satisfaction that the tools reached farmers on time.
Onwumere advised farmers to use the implements judiciously and warned against selling them, saying offenders would be dealt with severely.
Chief Tobias Iwu, former First Deputy National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, thanked the Federal Government and said the tools arrived on time, advising farmers to use them well.
Mr Chinedu Madu, Head of Umudioka Multipurpose Cooperative, Orlu, who spoke for beneficiaries, also thanked the Federal Government and appealed for the programme to be sustained.
