The Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, has revealed Federal Government’s directive to see to the reduction of food prices by releasing at least 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains, for free to needy Nigerians.
The Minister disclosed this during the Ministerial Press briefing held at National Press Centre, Abuja recently.
He pointed out that the Federal Government was fully committed to addressing the issues of food inflation and would see to the reduction of food prices, adding that the Ministry was equally determined to implementing stringent measures in the forth coming Dry/ Wet season farming for rice, maize and cassava to ensure transparent distribution to genuine farmers.
In his words, “we are aware that food security is a National Security, we are trying to crash the prices of food, to make these available and affordable. Federal Government is in the process of releasing 42,000 metric tonnes of grains from the nation’s strategic reserve. Our interventions will be targeted at the needy in all parts of the Country”, the Minster added.
“We have met with NEMA and DSS to give us the index on where vulnerable Nigerians are. The Intervention is apt and will be targeted at the needy, we are partnering with other agencies to ensure that this food interventions gets to the needy”.
Kyari recalled that it was imperative to take the lessons learnt during the review of the implementation of the Wheat Dry Season Farming in the 15 participating States to ensure that the State add quantifiable value to the agricultural development agenda.
He pointed out that Expression of Interest for the Dry Season production of Rice, Maize and Cassava sent to all 36 States and FCT captured a design structure that speaks to farmers’ data integrity, inventory of available Irrigable lands as well as functional irrigation infrastructure with primary aim of determining the readiness of participating states.
Speaking further, the Minister noted that the Ministry is already getting responses from some States, adding that the President was concerned about capacity of farmers to access agro-inputs even at the current subsidized rate as observed during the last intervention for Dry season Wheat Production programme.
In his welcome address, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris noted that the programme was organized by the Ministry and was deliberately created to afford the Ministers and the Media the opportunity to interact so as to understand what the present administration was doing to actualize the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“To achieve this, the Ministry have crafted and are implementing an Agenda that is based on the following five pillars to include; to restore trust, emphasizing that the Ministry was determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and International Community, deploying all available platforms and media; others are to amplify policies and programmes, reorient national values, amongst others.
Eremah Anthonia (Mrs.)
Chief Information Officer
For: Director Information
