The Federal Government has announced the impending release of 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities to support the vulnerable population across Nigeria. The grains, currently in seven strategic reserve locations, are being bagged for delivery to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), with the government having freshly ordered the bags, causing a slight delay. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasized that Nigerians will not be charged for the bags, as they are provided free of charge.
Additionally, the government is set to purchase 60,000 metric tonnes of milled rice from Mega Rice Millers. Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, noted a noticeable reduction in commodity prices across major grains markets following the announcement of the impending releases from the Strategic Reserve.
To further boost food production, the Federal Government has initiated Dry Season Farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project. The First Phase of the project, launched in November 2023, focuses on wheat cultivation across 15 wheat-producing states, covering 118,657 hectares and involving 107,429 farmers. The fields are currently thriving, with harvest expected in a matter of weeks.
Phase 2 of the Dry Season Farming project is set to commence soon, covering all 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT, and will include rice, maize, and cassava cultivation. For rice, the target is 250,000 hectares involving 500,000 farmers with an expected output of 1 million metric tons of paddy rice. For maize, 55,000 hectares will be cultivated with 110,000 farmers, adding 165,000 metric tons to national maize production. For cassava, 35,000 hectares will be cultivated with 70,000 farmers to produce 525,000 metric tons of cassava.
The NAGS-AP Project offers a 50% subsidy, with the Federal Government providing additional support for Phase 2, bringing the aggregate subsidy to about 93% for farmers cultivating the crops. Various governors are also showing strong support to enhance the subsidy further.
PM News