The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has revealed that the Federal Government is targeting the production of 31 million metric tons of grains by 2024.
The Minister said this move will combat food inflation, create jobs and reduce poverty as well as respond to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergency on food security.
Senator Abdullahi stated this at the opening session of the 6th edition of Seed Connect Conference and Exhibition with the theme ‘’Global Declaration of Food Emergency – The Role of the Seed Industry and Ensuring Africa’s Food and Nutrition Security’’, held in Abuja.
The Seed Connect Conference was organised by the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC).
Abdullahi stated that ‘’Nigeria’s seed requirement/need for 5 major crops of Rice, Maize, Wheat, Soybeans and Sorghum in 2024 is 312,555.69MT of seeds which is expected to give almost 31million Mt of grains’’.
The Minister revealed that ‘’the Ministry has outlined series of critical pathways to solve the food security challenges. This pathway is streamlined into short-term, intermediate and long-term actions’’.
He pointed out that ‘’One immediate priority is the certification of available planting material for some food security crops in the dry season farming of 2023/2024 which we flagged off in Jigawa state last Saturday, 25 November 2023’’.
He stated that the ministry was targeting over 70,000Ha for wheat production under the facility support of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and National Agricultural Growth Scheme and AgroPocket Scheme (NAGS-AP) project.
The Minister added that the farmers are being supported with quality seeds for rice, maize and soybean and other inputs at a subsidized rate.
He further said that ‘’pasture seeds development, fodder and foliage estates that will gradually eliminate farmers and herders clashes, creation of gene banks facilities is also a short term intervention that the administration is pursuing’’.
Senator Abdullahi further noted that ‘’in terms of finance which is very critical, the take-off of the National Agricultural Development Fund to support production, critical agricultural infrastructure and provide financial leverage for farmers will also be focused on in the short term’’.
According to him, ‘’this will also be supported by reforms in the Bank of Agriculture and Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation to meet the needs of its clientele using digital solutions’’.
He stated that the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) would be refocused to increase sensitization, surveillance and enforcement of its laws toward curbing infiltration of uncertified seeds that rob farmers of their value for money.
In his welcome address, the Acting Director General, NASC, Dr. Ishiak Khalid, said that ‘’this year’s event has been dedicated to the Global Declaration of Food Emergency and the role of Africa’s Seed Sector in creating a sustainable food system to ensure access to nutritious and affordable food both now, and in the future’’.
Dr. Khalid stated that NASC will also be convening a National seed planning to bring stakeholders to plan for the 2024 planting season and how to achieve the national seed requirement.
He added that ‘’In terms of inclusivity, NASC is leveraging on the use of Licensed Seed inspectors to achieve low-level certification in an efficient manner’’.
He emphasized that ‘’ the target of Mr. President in making quality seed available to farmers is a drive the Seed Council is following through by deploying all arsenals for efficient seed certification, surveillance and mopping out adulterated seeds. Not leaving outbuilding of industry capacity for especially with the NASC membership of the OECD’’.
The Netherlands’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Wouter Plomp, in his remarks, stated that ‘’the Netherlands – Nigeria Seed Partnership – a model of collaboration built on knowledge exchange and mutual, has been instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s seed sector, fostering the exchange of expertise, technology and best practices’’.
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