THE GUARDIAN
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abubakar Kyari, has assured that the ministry is working to deflate prices of food in the country.
He hinged the assurance on the plans by the ministry to exceed cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland in food production all year round.
Speaking, yesterday, when Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, visited him in Abuja, Kyari expressed optimism that massive cultivation across the country would bring down the prices of food items and contribute to stabilising the economy.
He said the Federal Government “is concerned” about the skyrocketing prices of food items, as well as the porous nature of the country’s borders.
The minister said: “The ministry is focused on ramping up massive production of staple crops using technology and mechanisation. We are grateful for the support and guidance of the President as we work towards a more food-secure Nigeria.
“I would like to reiterate that the ministry is fully aligned with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu. We are poised to implement our programmes in line with his vision for the agriculture sector.”
He, however, underscored the need to tackle some of the challenges observed during the Wheat Dry Season Farming in the 15 participating states, to forestall recurrence in the second phase for rice, maize, and cassava cultivation, slated to commence this month.
