By FREDRICK NWABUFO

Agriculture and food security is a nucleic aspect of the President Tinubu administration?s policy design and rationale. The administration understands that food is an essential and integral component of existence; hence, its relentless, practised, and sustained efforts in this regard.

Food security is a principal element of national security. It is the primary responsibility of the government to protect lives and property ? and protecting the people against hunger is a basic extension of this sacred duty. The administration is not remiss, reclining, or relenting in its obligation of ensuring food security for the nation.

At compelling times such as now, it is important to keep citizens abreast of the government?s efforts in this respect.

Here are some of the interventions of the administration, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ? with outcomes. The list is, however, not exhaustive.

THE 150-DAY DUTY-FREE IMPORT WINDOW FOR FOOD COMMODITIES

- - Suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of certain food commodities through land and sea borders. These commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.

DRY SEASON FARMING AND CULTIVATION OF HECTARES OF WHEAT

- - The dry season farming initiative was launched with the cultivation of 118,657 hectares of wheat across 15 states. This effort supported 107,429 farmers and resulted in 474,628 metric tonnes of wheat.

- - Release of 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities from the Strategic Food Reserve through NEMA and distribution of 58,500 metric tonnes of milled rice to all states and the FCT to stabilise prices.

DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS, BAGS OF FERTILISERS, AND STRENGTHENING FARMLAND SECURITY

- - To combat food inflation, 60,000 metric tonnes of improved seeds, 887,255 metric tonnes of seedlings, and 501,726 litres of agrochemicals were distributed

- - Strengthening of farmland security with additional resources for Agro-rangers and other security agencies.

- - Distribution of 2.15 million bags of fertilisers provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

EMPOWERMENT OF FARMERS

- - Over 2,770 farmers across 109 crop production clusters, strategically located in all senatorial districts of the country, have been empowered.

- - Each of these clusters has been provided with essential agricultural production inputs and supplies, including power tillers, knapsack sprayers, herbicides, organic fertilisers, and over 5,000 metric tonnes of maize seeds.

- - In support of their efforts, each of the 25 farmers within these clusters received inputs sufficient for one hectare of crop farmland. The power tillers are to be used and maintained collectively by the group, fostering cooperation and efficient resource utilisation.

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL HEALTH

- - Distribution of 14 million doses of vaccines for anthrax and foot-and-mouth diseases.

- - Establishment of animal health centres, veterinary hospitals, and micro earth dam.

- - Training of livestock farmers on biosecurity and antimicrobial resistance.

- - Facilitation of 14.9 million animal vaccinations and distribution of 760 tonnes of poultry and ruminant feed.

- CONTROL OF PESTS AND DISEASES

- - Launched initiatives to combat ginger blight, providing N1.6 billion in support of affected farmers and distributed pesticides and fungicides.

- - Nigeria is one of the world?s largest producers of ginger.

PROVISION OF FARM INPUTS

- - Distribution of farm inputs, including modern machinery, to over 100 farmers in Kano to empower smallholder farmers and boost food production.

- - Facilitating farm input access to farmers with 75 percent funding while the farmers provide 25 percent.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SERVICES

- - Development of 23 improved crop varieties and the enhancement of storage facilities.

- - Promotion of e-extension services and training of 120,000 extension agents and 20,755 farmers.

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT

- - Construction of over 77.8 km of asphalt roads,130.9 km of earthen roads, and provision of 102 motorised and solar-powered boreholes to improve rural infrastructure.

- - This fundamentally improves access and conveyance of agricultural produce from the hinterland to the market.

- - Conducting soil analyses, constructing water harvesting structures, and training farmers on sustainable practices.

- EMPOWERMEMENT OF YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE

- - Establishment of vocational training programmes and youth employment initiatives in agriculture.

- AGRO-PROCESSING AND VALUE ADDITION

- - Support for Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ) and agribusiness incubation centres to foster agro-processing and value addition.

- - Completion of a large-scale integrated rice processing mill in Niger State.

- - Intensification of efforts to produce and process exportable commodities like soybean, sesame, ginger, and hibiscus with a focus on improving standardisation and quality assurance to enhance the competitiveness of our agricultural exports.

- TRAINING AND PROVISION OF INPUTS FOR SMALLHOLDER POULTRY FARMERS

- - Under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy programme, 1,110 smallholder poultry farmers have been trained and empowered across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

- - This training and empowerment initiative was conducted simultaneously in all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

- - Each beneficiary received day-old chicks, feed, and cash support to raise broiler chickens to market weight.

- - The primary objective of this programme is to lift smallholder poultry farmers out of poverty. This is achieved by training them in modern broiler rearing technologies and stimulating their interest in broiler production as a sustainable enterprise.

OTHERS

- - $500m from AfDB for farm access roads under the RARP.

- - Continuation of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Scheme for Niger Delta States, which started during the previous administration. 35,000 persons have been trained and provided stipends since the beginning of this administration, and the programme is set to be renewed.

- - ?Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Water Resources? standing committee on irrigation and dams has been reconvened and meets regularly based on the directive of the President.

- - Agricultural mechanisation equipment ordered from Belarus and other countries are expected to be delivered soon.

- In July, prices of food items began to plummet ? with the new harvest ? as reported by some news organisations. Also, according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics, on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in July 2024 was 2.47 percent, which shows a 0.08 percent decrease compared to the rate recorded in June 2024.

It is important to acknowledge that with the rocketing in the price of petrol, the cost of transportation will leap upwards, and this will, in turn, impact the market prices of food items. But this is only a temporary situation that will abate with increased CNG penetration and the consummation of other government initiatives.

?Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement.

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