The Federal government says the current insecurity in Nigeria has minimal impact on the country’s food production despite the inability of farmers in the country to access their farms.
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mohammad Abubakar said this on Thursday at the weekly ministerial briefing.
Responding to questions on the high cost of food prices the various interventions by the government in the agricultural sector, the Minister explained that Nigeria is not isolated from the unavoidable global inflation due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
He explained that about 3.6 million indirect jobs have been created from $1.113 billion (about N461.9b) worth of externally funded projects implemented by the present administration, adding that $538 million was approved for special agricultural processing zones to support inclusive and and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.
The Minister said another project worth $575 million is being implemented to improve rural access and agricultural marketing alongside strengthening the financing institutional base for effective development, maintenance and management of rural road networks.
He mentioned Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto as the participating states.
The Minister also said government is implementing what he called the Value Chain Development Programme, where additional Financing between 2020- 2024 aims to enhance, on a sustainable basis, incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava.
He said the project is currently being implemented in nine states – Niger, Benue, Ogun, Ebonyi, Taraba , Anambra, Nasarawa, Kogi and Enugu
Editor Oloyede Oworu
