2.5 million metric tonnes of grains preserved in national silo — FG

The Federal Government through its buy-back policy has preserved about 2.5 million metric tons of grains in the national silo to avert any possible shortage of grains in 2017.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh made the disclosure while briefing journalists on the activities of the government to ensure food sustainability next year.

The minister reiterated that there “is no danger of famine” also noted that government will never allow Nigerians to go through such harrowing experience. He stated that the buy-back policy implemented to preserve grains in the national Silo was to ensure that there is enough grains in the country both for the next farming season and for other purposes.

He announced that government has concluded plans to deploy about 30,000 youths who were part of the 200,000 recently employed through the Federal government’s N-Power Initiative as agriculture extension workers.

Ogbeh said that these youths would soon be deployed to their various local government areas, so they can use their local dialects to teach the farmers basic things they need to do in order to achieve food security.

While admitting that over some months ago there have been an extra ordinary purchase of Nigeria grains by people suspected to be merchants from the north African countries, he maintained that the situation was not completely bad, as local farmers now have expanded market for their farm products.

Speaking further on the measures government has put on ground to avert any eventuality that may lead to famine in the country, Ogbeh said that the Federal government has concluded arrangement with some state governors to massively mobilize farmers in their various state to go into dry season farming with the aid of irrigation facilities.

It will be recalled tht the Nigerian Tribune on Thursday, reported the widespread maize scarcity in the country.

Farmers who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune in the report said current maize shortage in the country could linger for many months.

The National General Secretary, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr Bello Dogondaji, lamenting the maize shortages, had, however, assured that the stakeholders in the industry were working “very hard” to solve this problem, saying “and I can assure you that by next year, the bumper harvest not recorded this year will be recorded.”

The current maize crisis has pushed up prices in the market, as 100kg bag of maize, which sold for N6,000 in April 2016, now sells for more than N20,000, according to buyers.