By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Abubakar Kyari, has pledged his readiness and willingness to commit 100 per cent to the nation’s service to mitigate food insecurity, flooding among others and enhance production.
The Minister stated this on the assumption of duty in his office in Abuja recently.
He stated that the challenges in the agricultural sector are not insurmountable, which has propelled President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on food security.
Food prices have been on the rise across Nigeria in recent years. The situation deteriorated due to the impact of government policies such as the removal of subsidy on petrol, among others.
Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose to 24.08 per cent in July from 22.41 per cent in the previous month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
It was shown that the highest contribution was food and non-alcoholic beverages at 12.5 per cent, while housing water, electricity, gas & other fuels attributed to around 4.03 per cent, followed by clothing & footwear at 1.8 per cent, while transport amounted to 1.6 per cent.
The food inflation rate in July 2023 was 26.98 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 4.97 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in July 2022 (22.02 per cent).
The bureau said the rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of oil and fat, bread and cereals, fish, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fruits, meat, vegetables, milk, cheese, and eggs.
The Minister promised that his principal’s Renewed Hope Agenda would see to the hope and commitment in him to revive and secure the nation’s food and nutrition security.
“Our target is not only to secure and feed the country but also to export food; we have the potential and is there, ready to be tapped,” the Minister stressed.
The Minister, therefore, expressed his profound gratitude to the Executive Governor of Borno state, Mr Babagana Umara Zulum, for his support and commitment to service both in the state and the country at large.
In his congratulatory statement, the Governor of Borno state commended both Ministers, pointing out that the two Ministers need to put their heads together to ensure that Nigeria is food secured in terms of quantity and quality.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, stated that the task before the Ministry was a daunting one, in which all hands must be on deck to make Nigeria self–sufficient.
Modupe Gbadeyanka