FG Releases 1,200 Trailers Of Food To Vulnerable Nigerians

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has announced the release of 1,200 trailers of food equivalent to 42,000 metric tonnes of grains free to vulnerable Nigerians.

This is as Kyari said that the government is targeting to produce 1.1 million metric tonnes of rice during the second phase of the dry season farming across the country.

Kyari said the development followed the directive of President Bola Tinubu to release about 42,000MT of maize, millet, and other commodities from the national strategic reserves to address the rising cost of food in Nigeria.

The food disbursement would be supervised through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

He said, “We are aware that food security is national security. We are trying to crash the prices of foods to make these available and affordable, and our interventions will be targeted at the needy in all parts of the country.

“Food is available as can be seen in the markets, but the high cost has become a source of concern for government given its impact on the populace.

“Food security covers three issues, affordability, availability and accessibility and if any of the three is impacted then there is an issue of scarcity. In this case, as you already pointed out, you will see food in the market, but those who are playing in this field know the window of food scarcity.

“Currently we have 53,000 metric tons of grains in our reserve across the countries and have requested to receive 42,000 metric tons, and we will keep 11,000 metric tons for any eventuality.

“The 42,000mt is in the process of releasing and we have already started talking with NEMA, and the State Security Service (SSS) to give us the index on where it is necessary based on intelligence report. We want to target those areas where vulnerable Nigerians are.

He added that the support to the farmers aims to increase Nigeria’s rice production from the current eight million tonnes annually.

“The government would also be supporting 500,000 farmers to cultivate and produce one million metric tonnes of rice,” the minister noted.

According to Kyari, other measures by the government include the offtake of 60,000 metric tonnes of rice being produced by millers and the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture.