By Nurat Uthman
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has vowed to eradicate all forms of round-tripping and poor farmers’ data in the sector, including other impediments negatively impacting food security and production.
Kyari stated this in his address during the visit of the Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, at the headquarters of the Ministry.
He said the Ministry will squarely address these longstanding challenges, as they have impeded the policies and programmes of government over the years in the sector, and would not allow it to truncate the effort of the Tinubu-led ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda to galvanise food production.
He said, “As we look forward, it is imperative for us to tackle some of the challenges observed and ensure that they do not impede our agricultural development agenda.
“These challenges include reported cases of round-tripping in connivance with agro-dealers and poor validation of farmers’ data in parts of the participating states. Happily, the case of Jigawa State is remarkably different.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is fully committed to addressing the issues of round-tripping and poor validation of farmers’ data, he said.
He further stated that with stringent measures put in place, the distribution of farm inputs will be done transparently, and the targeted farmers will receive them.
He also acknowledged that this could be achieved through collaboration with state and local governments, traditional rulers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“We are dedicated to implementing stringent measures in the forthcoming dry/wet season farming for rice, maize, and cassava to ensure transparent distribution and target genuine farmers.
“Collaboration with states, local governments, traditional rulers, NGOs, and relevant MDAs will be crucial in achieving the desired objectives.
“We seek the support of all stakeholders in the agricultural sector to overcome the challenges and ensure a successful intervention despite time constraints,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said that ahead of the rains Dry/Wet season farming will commence to ensure the production of food and that the Ministry has resolved to make it a huge success.
“The second phase of the dry/wet season farming intervention is expected to commence this month, and we are determined to make it a success.
“I would also like to extend our profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support in our quest for food security in the country.
“The Ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanisation to achieve this goal. We are grateful for the support and guidance of Mr. President as we work towards a more food-secure Nigeria, he added.
