By Muhammad Amaan
The Federal Government of Nigeria said plans are underway to reduce food inflation in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari stated this when Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State paid him a courtesy on Friday in Abuja.
He said that the ministry’s goal included ensuring food security and driving down food inflation.
“We also intend to massively produce to bring down food inflation because today the number one driver of inflation is food price inflation,” he said.
Senator Kyari maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s agenda on food security is on course.
He said that programmes on food production would be sustained in 2024 to impact positively on Nigerians.
“The ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanisation to achieve this goal.
“We are grateful for the support and guidance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as we work towards a more food-secured Nigeria.
“We are poised to implement our programmes in line with his vision for the agricultural sector.
“We are determined to driving agricultural transformation, enhancing productivity, and ensuring that our farmers have the necessary support to thrive,” he said.
The minister said the Ministry would embark on its planned programmes and projects, and ensure their sustainability towards massive production.
“In 2024, there is plan for sustainability of our programmes to ensure massive production of food.
“This is so that food will be available and Nigeria will be food secured in line with Mr President’s agenda on food security,” he said.
He urged stakeholders in the agricultural sector to give support to the ministry to overcome challenges and ensure a successful intervention.
“The second phase of the Dry/Wet Season Farming intervention is expected to commence this month, and we are determined to make it a success.” he said.
The minister also said the Ministry has given full support for wheat production in Jigawa and other States.
He said that the governor ‘s visit signifies the strong partnership between the State and the Federal Government in ensuring food security and agricultural development in Nigeria.
Earlier, Governor Namadi said that wheat had been cultivated on 36,000, 700, 87 hectares, which he said gave a bright hope for self-sufficiency in wheat production.
“As at today we have done 36,000, 700, 87 hectares of wheat farming which is the official records. We still have this is an addition to 5,000 hectares, on the aggregate we have almost 50,000 hectares of wheat farm in Jigawa state,” he said.
He assured the minister that Jigawa would continue to key into the ongoing wheat dry season farming under the NAGS-AP programme.
“We have the land and resources to promote wheat farming. We have put in place robust programmes that will assist us in dry season farming in the state.
“As of today, we are updating our farmers register, so that by the time we start our rice season farming that will properly guide us.
“We are going to cooperate with you to ensure that we achieve success in this dry season farming,” Namadi said.
