FG to distribute 102 metric tons of grains free

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari has revealed that the Federal Government will for the second phase of the National Agriculture Growth Scheme and Agro Project (NAGS-AP) for rice produce 150,000 hectares of land intervention support to 300,000 farmers to help reduce the level of food insecurity in the country.

The Minister disclosed this at a joint press briefing of the Ministers of Information & National Orientation and Agriculture and Food Security in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that the intervention from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration would provide all the seeds and fertilizers needed to farmers free.

The Minister attributed the current food insecurity to the low food production during the 2023 wet season farming as it was marginal increase from the 2022 wet season farming.

“We know what happened during COVID time when agriculture was impacted all over the world and the 2021-2022 where you have massive flooding around the country and the 2022 harvest of October- November when the Naira redesign policy was issued affected the farmers.

“And when the farmers want to plan for the 2023 wet season availability of cash was not there and of course we know that cash is a critical aspect of agriculture to pay for land clearing and farm inputs. That impacted food supply and of course the demand and supply market forces also played a role.”

“Land mass is shrinking and access to capital is also unavailable to the farmers. Not that they did not cultivate but the factor of demand and supply impacted on food which was why a state of emergency was declared.”

Speaking on the grains that would be released from the grain reserve, the Minister explained that the
102,000 tonnes of grain is free of charge and will be delivered to those needy segment of the population.

” We have met with NEMA and the Department of State Security (DSS) to give us the modalities and index intelligence report on where they are needed the most.”

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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said, the Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) will help amplify policies and programmes of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, thereby building the trust of the people in the government.

According to Idris, the MPBS would afford newsmen the opportunity
to interact with senior officials of the Federal Government, on behalf of Nigerians while facilitating access by citizens and the global community to credible and timely information, reorient national values, modernize technology and talent, and create an enabling environment for the media stakeholders in line with a mandate of of his ministry   to manage and enhance the image and reputation of the people and government of Nigeria through a dynamic public information system.

“I would like to urge you, the members of the press here with us today, or covering this virtually, to please report objectively and responsibly, through the headlines and the narratives that you will be reporting to the world from this Press Briefing.

“Our objective here is to enlighten, inform and educate Nigerians and the world, and to ensure that everyone is carried along through the provision of credible and timely information.

“This is the first in the series, there will be many more of this briefings that will take place, periodically, in the months and years ahead.

“We will continue to strive to refine and to improve our engagement with you, the members of the fourth estate of the realm, and with the Nigerian people,” said Idris.