The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri has reassured farmers of Federal Government’s resolve to support and also make farming equipment accessible to them in other to achieve food sufficiency and economic growth in Nigeria.
The Minister gave this assurance when he visited the Livestock House of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in Mando, Kaduna, Kaduna State over the weekend.
Shehuri pointed out that the visit was basically to ensure that the staff and management team of the ministry in the Kaduna office worked in tandem with the objectives of the Federal Government at improving the farmers capacity towards achieving food security for the teeming population and Job creation for the Nigerian youth and as such
He said “we will ensure that the equipment and farm inputs procured by the ministry get directly to the people they are meant for (farmers) because they are the bedrock of government investment designed to achieve government’s policy of economic diversification and growth through the agricultural sector.
The Minister further stated that the farming equipment procured by the ministry would be sold to farmers at 50% discount to show government commitment, determination and goodwill at improving farmers production capacity in order to actualize the food sufficiency policy and income generation of the current administration.
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He added that “the border closure has further energized rice farmers and they are working assiduously to continuously produce the quantity locally consumed and prepare to mobilize for export in the nearest future. Today, they are smiling to the banks with the impressive sales they have recorded and this opportunity has created more jobs, not only in rice production but also livestock and other commodities.”
The Minister described Nigerian farmers as the very determined and hardworking workforce in the labour industry in the country, adding that, “they work tirelessly even without assistance from the government to improve the country’s economy and put food at the table for Nigerian homes.
“We look at agriculture as an enterprising business and we assure Nigerians of better jobs from the type of growth that will result from it,” he noted.
In his remarks, the North West Zonal Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Engr. Mathew Owolabi described the minister’s visit as a good and timely adding that this would encourage and enhance the capability of staff in the state office and the zone in general.
He pledged the support of the entire North West to work arduously towards achieving its mandate and the next level agenda of Mr President in the agriculture sector, in terms of job creation, economic growth and food security.
