Food Security and Government Initiatives in the Real Sector – Voice of Nigeria

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that food price inflation in May 2024 increased to 40.66%. year-on-year, which is an increase of 15.84%. compared to the rate recorded in May 2023, which was 24.82%.

Experts attribute the rising food inflation to the weakening naira, depleting food reserves, insecurity, supply chain disruptions, rising transportation costs, farm input costs and climate change, among others.

Nevertheless, the Federal Government is making conscious and concerted efforts to counteract this trend.

Recently, the federal government has introduced new initiatives to ensure food and nutrition security in the country.

The new plans aim to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen the economy by creating opportunities in viable sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, construction, as well as providing urgent economic relief to Nigerians.

President Bola Tinubu, during the 142nd session of the National Economic Council (NEC), approved the immediate implementation of the National Housing and Home Support Programme, which is to cover all geopolitical zones in the country.

He added that the programme had given priority to the Sokoto-Badagry expressway which would pass through Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos.

Tinubu said other road infrastructure projects such as the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway linking Enugu, Abakaliki, Ogoja, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Abuja would also be prioritised.

“The Sokoto-Badagry road project is a particular priority due to its importance as some of the states through which the road will pass are of strategic importance for the sustainable development of agriculture in the country.

“The Sokoto-Badagry Expressway corridor comprises 216 farming communities, 58 large and medium dams spread over six states, seven Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), 156 Local Government Areas, 39 commercial towns and cities and over one million hectares of arable land.

“In addition, other items under the National Construction and Household Support Program include a one-time allocation of N10 billion to states and the Federal Capital Territory for bus procurement and CNG upgrading program.

“Others include provision of N50,000 grant to 100,000 families in each state for three months, support to trade unions and civil society organizations and allocation of N155 billion for purchase and sale of various food items to be distributed across the country.” .

Tinubu also tasked state governors to provide feedback on plans to increase food production in their states.

He stated that the Sokoto-Badagry Expressway is a key project as the states comprising the axis form the food belt of the country and Badagry is a major artery for food exports.

“Our countries must work together to make the necessary reforms that will allow us to meet the needs of our citizens. Time is the most precious commodity of humanity. You can never have too much of it. It is getting late.

“We are ready and able to support you in the mechanization of agricultural processes and the supply of high-quality seedlings.

“We are ready to provide solar-powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers all year round, but now we need to produce.”

The president added that countries must produce enough food for their citizens, and this will require coordination and purposefulness of the actions of NEC members.

“There is nothing more important than producing high-quality food for our citizens to eat, buy and sell.

“How much support do you need from me and in what form? I am ready to provide it, but we have to achieve a result; we have to meet our goals at all levels.

“Please provide a report after the consultation and send it to my office within seven days.” Tinubu said.

Moreover, the meeting extensively discussed the need for free distribution of fertilizers among the farming community in the country to encourage them to mass produce food.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said he briefed the Council on the National Food Security Policy.

Kyari also said he had briefed the council on interventions regarding the 42,000 metric tonnes of grain that was delivered to all states and 20 trailers of rice for each state.

The minister disclosed that the federal government had distributed 42,000 metric tonnes of food grains, 20 trailer loads of rice and also made available to states which he believed were awaiting evacuation by state governments.

“We also released over 1.5 million bags of fertilizer that had been evacuated by the state government.”

The Minister said that with respect to the agricultural mechanisation programme, the council had received information and approved the Greener Hope Agric Mechanisation Consortium, a ten-year programme involving an investment of $1 billion.

According to him, the consortium is to create 1,000 agro centers with service providers throughout the country.

He said the centers are expected to employ about 600,000 young people and supply 2,000 tractors a year for the next five years.

“Other agreements include contracts for John Deere/Tata tractors and the delivery of 2,000 tractors per year and the establishment of 52 service and maintenance centres.

“The tractors will be delivered within the next 60 days.”

He also revealed that the Saudi Arabian government had requested 200,000 tons of red meat per year and 1 million tons of soybeans.

“The proposal is part of the conclusion of the president’s visit to Saudi Arabia,” he said.

No less noteworthy, Mr. Akinyinka Akintunde, CEO of AFEX, Nigeria’s leading commodity exchange company, recently pledged the group’s support for government programs and policies in the agricultural sector.

He added that the group has proposed an initiative that will support two million farmers across four value chains (rice, maize, sorghum and soy) to strengthen sustainable agriculture and ensure the success of the federal government’s food security campaign.

Akintunde said the consortium of medium-sized agricultural companies in Nigeria would achieve its goals through commitment and collaboration with key stakeholders including the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and farmer aggregation companies.

For its part, the Nigerian Youth for Agricultural Revolution Initiative (YOFAGRI), a non-governmental organisation, said agriculture has the potential to solve the youth unemployment crisis as well as transform.

YOFAGRI National Chairman, Jerry Ngene, has said that the agricultural sector contributes about 21 percent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Ngene said agriculture, where 70 percent of the population works in the agricultural sector, has the potential to solve the youth unemployment crisis and transform.

“Therefore, YOFAGRI has a vision to provide 1,000,000 young people per year with high-quality crop seeds that have a comparable cultivation advantage in their field.” he said.

Dr Deola Lordbanjour, director of advisory services at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said growing demand for food means supply forces have the opportunity to tap into the potential of the growing market.

“Global food prices have reached their highest level in several decades and are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future, and Nigeria is no exception.

“Youth, the lifeblood of any nation, if empowered, can leverage food crises to ensure national food security and sustainable development,” he said.

Stakeholders are optimistic that new measures taken by the federal government to increase agricultural productivity and enhance food and nutrition security will be able to save the nation from the prevailing food crisis.

NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi