By Chinyere Anyanwu
To address concerns surrounding its recently announced prayer session and to reaffirm its commitment to achieving food and nutrition security, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security issued a statement over the weekend, asking anxious Nigerians to calm down.
The statement by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, on behalf of the Director of Press, stressed that the recently announced prayer session is not to be misconstrued as a policy measure addressing food insecurity.
“It is a response to internal concerns and does not diminish the progress the ministry is making in advancing the sector,” the statement said.
The ministry, however, outlined strategic initiatives to transform the nation’s agricultural landscape and cushioning effects of rising food prices.
Key among these interventions, according to the statement, is procurement of 1,000 tractors to support mechanised farming, a move commercialised under direct supervision of President Tinubu.
In addition, the ministry is implementing a strategic grain reserve and market price stabilisation, which includes distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains and 58,200 metric tonnes of milled rice.
To further combat food inflation, the statement said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has donated 2.15 million bags of fertiliser, while Bank of Agriculture (BoA) is being recapitalised to the tune of N1.5 trillion to expand access to affordable credit facilities.
He noted that the ministry also launched National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) to enhance digital agricultural extension services and revitalise the cooperative sector through training at the Federal Cooperative College.
It added that the government, in partnership with the World Bank, is set to rehabilitate 200,000 kilometres of rural roads under Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
Other measures include distribution of free fertilisers, agro-chemicals and improved seeds.
The ministry is also actively implementing the National Agricultural Growth Scheme – Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), which provides subsidised inputs to registered farmers. It is partnering with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve data accuracy and transparency in agricultural service delivery.