FG Banks on Kastina, Borno, Niger, 5 Others to Achieve Food Security

James Emejo in Abuja

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator, Abubakar Kyari, yesterday, said federal government was counting on eight frontline states including Kastina, Borno, Niger, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto to achieve the country’s food security agenda.

The minister also urged the state governments and local authorities to provide a verified lists of genuine farmers to participate in the second phase of the dry season farming.

Kyari, spoke while receiving the Governor of Kastina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda,

in his office ahead of the planting season.

He said the dry season farming would be focusing on crops including wheat, rice, maize and cassava.

The minister expressed confidence that the ministry could surpass cultivation of 400,000 hectares of farmland earmarked by President Bola Tinubu for food production if they receive necessary cooperation from the state and local government authorities.

He said, “We are out to achieve the President’s agenda on food security, poverty reduction and job creation.

“We are also committed to achieving the President agenda to cultivate 400,000 hectares of arable land for this year.

“And we can exceed the president’s target if the local government to come up with a genuine and verifiable list of  farmers.

“It is very important because they have to know who the genuine farmers are.”

The minister, however, harped on the need to get buy-in from the state and local government for them to achieve the goal they have set out.

Kyari, also revealed plans to set up a  joint task force made up of the state and the federal government to ensure that the farming exercise programme was successful.

In his remarks, Radda explained that the aim of the courtesy visit was to signify the state’s intention to be part of the government food security effort assuring that they will join the initiative and ensure the country is food secure.

He said the state is the highest producer of maize and high quality cotton, sesame, soya beans, and millet.

The governor said a lot of initiatives were being implemented to enhance production and improve economic fortunes of the farmers.

Among other things, he said to achieve an all-year-round farming, the state launched an irrigation scheme where 2,000 farmers were supported by providing them with solar pump machines as well as incentives to boost production.