The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, has called for more investment to upscale the agriculture sector.
A statement issued by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Chief Information Officer in the ministry of Agriculture, in Abuja, said that the minister made the appeal during a virtual high level panel discussion on Monday to round off activities to celebrate the 2021 World Food Day.
He said agriculture, being the focus of government’s diversification agenda, deserves a better financing and credit facilities to support the its value chain activities.
The Minister said the ministry was committed to meeting the domestic food requirement, exporting at qualitative levels and creation of favourable business environment to make Agro business thrive.
” There is a deliberate strategic approach towards job creation, conserve foreign exchange and attain the National Food Security,” he said.
Shehuri pointed out that the seed sub- sector supply chain is being repositioned to ensure that the farmers have access to quality seeds to improve yield.
“The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) under my watch has been directed to interface with key seed Industry Stakeholders to ensure that Early Generation Seeds (EGS) are structured to ensure uninterrupted supply of certified seeds.
” There is also on-going awareness campaign by the Council on the importance of using improved seeds to boost production,” he said.
The minister said that the administrative bottlenecks that previously hindered farmers’ easy access to fertilizer had been removed.
He said the partnership with Government of Brazil to pilot the establishment of 117 Mechanisation centres across the country was on- going.
” When these centres are completed, and operational, farmers will be able to buy mechanisation services for a fee with relative ease without need to own expensive equipment for farm operations.” He said.
‘’ Nigeria’s agriculture has done well in this present administration in areas such as ; being the World leading producer of yam 18.3 million MT, World leader in the production of Cassava that has steadily risen to 70 million metric tonnes,
He said it ranks second as World producer of Sorghum just after the United State of America, ranks fifth in the producer of Palm oil and Cocoa and share of Gross Domestic Production contributed by Agricultural Sector in Nigeria ” has consistently been impressive, Year in year – out’’.
“Nigeria is a Global player in agricultural Export; in year 2019 are as follows: Sesame Seeds oil: N77.04 billion, Cocoa: N66.73 billion, Cashew Nuts: N45.6 billion, Frozen Shrimps and Prawns: N7.46 billion, Ginger: N3.34 billion, Processed & Semi Processed Agro Food: N1.84 billion and Cotton: N609.33 million.
“The potential in this strategic sector is enormous and there is enthusiasm and political will to return the Agricultural Sector as the highest contributor to the National Gross Domestic Product by the year 2025,” he said.
Ikemefuna said other panelists at the virtual included the Senior Special Advisor to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire represented by her Assistant, Rose Keffas, Senior Special Advisor to the President on Agriculture, Dr. Andrew Kwasari.
Also at the virtual panel discussion were Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Fred Kafeero, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Programme Manager, Patrick Habamenshi.
Also, President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Ronald Sibanda among others.
