The federal government on Thursday inaugurated the distribution of free agricultural inputs worth millions of naira to farmers in Zamfara as part of President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to enhance food production in the country.
Speaking at the event in Gusau, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the initiative was aimed at boosting food production and addressing the current food crisis. He explained that the support was targeted at small-scale farmers to provide them with tools and resources that would increase productivity.
“This is also part of the federal government’s effort towards addressing the underlying challenges impacting the attainment of national food security goals,” he stated.
Kyari outlined that the items to be distributed included tractors, solar water pumps, Faro-certified rice seeds, insecticides, storage bags, herbicides, organic liquid fertilisers, knapsack sprayers, and power tillers. He said the distribution would be carried out through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs, and internally displaced persons.
“These inputs are to be distributed to the farmers through commodity associations, cooperative groups, farmers with special needs, and internally displaced persons. This is part of our programme for increasing agricultural production and ensuring food security in the country,” the minister explained.
He added that the initiative was part of the administration’s strategy to develop the agricultural sector, improve rural productivity, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly zero hunger.
“I want to use this opportunity to reiterate our commitment towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector for enhanced food security, while contributing to the eradication of poverty in the country. This is an alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President. The federal government has declared food security as a national state of emergency on food security in July 2023,” Kyari added.
The minister further assured that the federal government had shown political will to transform agriculture by placing food security at the heart of its policy direction. He said the Tinubu administration was implementing economic reforms to stimulate productive capacity, create jobs, and reduce the cost of living.
According to him, ensuring food security remains an international priority reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “This is to address the underlying challenges on our national food security goals to stimulate productive capacity, creating job opportunities and emergency responses,” Kyari stated.
He also noted that humanitarian actions were being carried out to cushion the effects of the food crisis in Nigeria. “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.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Abdullahi Nakwada, state secretary of the All Farmers Association, commended the gesture and described it as a welcome development.
Nakwada assured that farmers in the state were prepared to use the items effectively to improve food production in Zamfara and across the country.