Food Will Soon Be Cheap For All Nigerians — Agric Minister

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari has vowed to tackle the high food inflation in the country in 2024.

This is as Kyari revealed that he was aware of the exorbitant price of food commodities during the festive period as a result of high inflation.

Recall that the National Bureau of Statistics, (NBS), said that the food inflation rate in November 2023 stood at 32.84 per cent, the highest since the inception of democracy.

Speaking on the rise, Kyari in a statement jointly signed by the State Minister of Aliyu Abdullahi on Monday said, “During this festive season, we heard citizens’ complaints about the cost of food items and citizens’ diminished purchasing power.

“We would like to assure Nigerians that we have heard their cries, and are working assiduously to arrest the high food inflationary trend that has been on for some time.

“Affordability is one of the critical indices of food security, along with availability, accessibility, sustainability, and nutrition. We recognise that food affordability has been impacted by, among others, transportation costs, infrastructure impediments, and exchange rate volatility, especially about the imported component of our food requirements.

“However, the good news is that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is boosting domestic production of staple crops. This has been accelerated with the launch, in November 2023, of the dry season farming, targeting wheat, rice, maize, and cassava.

“We hereby appeal to farmers to continue to heed the expert advice of Extension Service Agents”.

Speaking on plans for the year, the ministers said, “Several items in our Strategic Work Plan will equally gather pace in the New Year. This includes formalising the processes and procedures for bringing under cultivation the vast arable land currently lying fallow in the possession of Federal institutions and establishments by significantly increasing agricultural production in more secure environments.

“We will also proceed with the reform of the Bank of Agriculture with the ultimate objective of enabling genuine farmers to access affordable credit. This will be in addition to ramping up insurance for players in the agriculture and food security sector.

“Our sights are also set on boosting animal husbandry, poultry and allied businesses, aquaculture, as well as agro-forestry”.

The ministers called on all stakeholders in the agriculture and food security sector to be alert to the prospects and opportunities that the New Year presents, adding that not only will they round off the dry season farming which commenced in November 2023, but also have the full wet season farming.