Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has announced a series of measures aimed at addressing the rising food prices in the country. The minister unveiled a plan to implement these measures over the next 180 days, which he believes will lead to a significant decrease in food prices.
One of the key initiatives is the establishment of a 150-day duty-free import window for certain food commodities, including maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas. These imports will be subject to a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) to ensure that they meet quality and safety standards.
The government will also import 250,000 metric tons of wheat and 250,000 metric tons of maize to supply small-scale processors and millers across the country. Additionally, the government will engage with stakeholders to set a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and purchase surplus food commodities to restock the National Strategic Food Reserve.
To boost food production, the government plans to provide continued support to smallholder farmers during the ongoing wet season farming cycle, as well as strengthen and accelerate dry season farming nationwide. The government will also embark on an aggressive agricultural mechanization program to reduce drudgery, lower production costs, and boost productivity.
Furthermore, the government aims to develop strategic engagement for youth and women in greenhouse cultivation of horticultural crops such as tomatoes and pepper to increase production volume, stabilize prices, and address food shortages. The government will also collaborate with sub-national entities to identify irrigable lands and increase land under cultivation.
To address nutrition security, the government plans to promote the production of fortified food commodities and support the scale-up of the Home Garden Initiative by the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to Senator Kyari, these measures will be successful if relevant stakeholders maintain high level cooperation and collaboration. He emphasized that President Tinubu is committed to achieving food security and ensuring that no Nigerian goes hungry. The minister assured that his team will work swiftly and diligently to implement these policies and ensure food security for everyone in the immediate term while continuing long-term strategies to address underlying causes and ensure sustainable and resilient food systems in Nigeria.
Over the next 14 days, Senator Kyari said his team will convene with relevant agencies to finalize implementation frameworks, making information publicly available to facilitate participation from all stakeholders across the country.
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