The Federal Government has introduced a new set of agricultural reforms aimed at ending hunger, boosting food production, and cutting post-harvest losses estimated at over $10 billion annually. The reforms are in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for food security and national prosperity.
This was contained in a joint statement released on Thursday by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and the Minister of State, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi.
Senator Kyari stated that agriculture remained the foundation of Nigeria’s economy and a key part of national renewal. “Agriculture remains the single largest employer of labour in Nigeria and contributes more than one-quarter of our Gross Domestic Product. Yet beyond these figures lies a deeper truth: agriculture is the measure of our nation’s resilience and the foundation of our collective renewal,” he said.
He explained that the government’s ongoing reforms were designed to end hunger, ensure food sufficiency, and drastically reduce post-harvest losses affecting the country’s agricultural value chain. “Together, these tiers will form a connected post-harvest system aimed at cutting losses valued at over $10 billion annually, while improving food quality, farmer incomes, and price stability nationwide,” Kyari added.
The minister noted that with increased mechanisation, expanded irrigation, and stronger storage systems, the government was laying the groundwork to make food abundance a reality for every Nigerian household.
He reaffirmed President Tinubu’s directive to modernise agricultural production. “Mr President’s charge remains clear: ‘Our farmers must transition from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters. Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability,’” Kyari stated.
He disclosed that several key programmes were already underway to drive this transformation, including the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket, the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, and the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Program (NiPHaST).
According to Kyari, a significant milestone was recorded in October with the introduction of rainfed wheat cultivation in Kuru, Plateau State. The innovation, developed by the Lake Chad Research Institute, extends wheat farming beyond irrigated zones. “With rainfed varieties now proven viable across the highlands of Plateau, Taraba, and Cross River States, Nigeria is charting a new course toward all-year farming and self-sufficiency in wheat production,” he said.
On post-harvest management, the minister described the NiPHaST programme as a legacy initiative to reduce food losses, improve quality, and stabilise market prices. “NiPHaST is designed to strengthen post-harvest handling and storage systems from the community level upwards, creating an integrated network that connects farmers, cooperatives, and strategic reserves across the country,” Kyari said.
He announced that the National Strategic Grain Reserve Silos located in Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Osun, Edo, and Kwara states were being upgraded to enhance emergency interventions and price stabilisation measures.
On financing, Kyari revealed that President Tinubu had approved the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture with N1.5 trillion and established a N250 billion financing window for smallholder farmers. “The Bank of Agriculture, in partnership with Heifer Nigeria, has launched the Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Program, a transformative tractor financing and management initiative designed to expand affordable access to mechanisation services nationwide,” he said.
He explained that the initiative would turn mechanisation into a national service, helping to modernise production, increase yields, and create sustainable employment across rural areas.
Kyari added that the National Agricultural Development Fund was now fully operational to expand agribusiness financing and complement the Bank of Agriculture’s functions. He also mentioned the government’s investments in rural infrastructure such as feeder roads, mini-dams, solar-powered boreholes, and market access facilities to strengthen rural livelihoods.
Senator Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, also highlighted the government’s focus on climate-smart and inclusive agricultural reforms. “Today, we are all gathered here to propose actions that will strengthen our national solidarity in the fight to end hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, and to highlight the need for food security and nutritious diets, which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Abdullahi said.
He stated that achieving food self-sufficiency required optimising the production of major crops such as maize, wheat, sorghum, millet, soybean, cassava, yams, and cowpeas. “For us to reach food self-sufficiency or improve our current food self-sufficiency levels, we need to attain all potential crop production levels for our major food security crops,” he explained.
The minister added that the Federal Government was prioritising climate-smart agriculture through the development of new climate-resilient crops that can withstand various environmental stresses. He also noted that there were ongoing efforts to implement integrated soil-crop system management and pest control systems for better productivity.
Abdullahi listed additional government initiatives, including the Dry Season Initiative, which covers 500,000 hectares of all-year farming, the Every Home a Garden Initiative by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme, which offers fertiliser recommendations tailored to specific crops and locations.
“Our broader goals are targeted at reducing import dependence, strengthening market confidence, and reviving agribusiness to position Nigeria as a leading food supplier in West Africa,” Abdullahi said.
In recent months, the Federal Government has introduced several targeted measures to fight hunger, including converting idle institutional lands into food production hubs and declaring a state of emergency on food security.
Mechanisation and irrigation projects have been expanded nationwide to boost productivity, as part of the administration’s broader plan to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a driver of economic growth and national stability.
For decades, agriculture has been the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, employing millions and sustaining rural communities. However, challenges such as low mechanisation, weak infrastructure, and high post-harvest losses have limited the sector’s potential. The new reforms, according to the government, represent a turning point in the country’s quest for food security, economic diversification, and sustainable development.
