Kyari: Agriculture Devt Top Priority in Tinubu’s Agenda

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Abubakar Kyari, has stated that achieving food security through agricultural development is among the topmost agendas of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda, because all the programmes on the agenda are connected to agriculture.

 Kyari stated this during the launch of the Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda (KADAGE) in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

At the programme, solar powered water pumps and power tillers were distributed to farmers under the KADAGE.

He said that President Bola Tinubu is committed to improving agriculture and attaining food security in the country, explaining that the president has made food security number one item in his 8-points agenda through improvement of agricultural production.

He said: “All programmes on the agenda are connected to agriculture, such as wealth creation and poverty eradication. The president is concerned about the capacity of farmers to acquire agricultural inputs and has now begun a process to accelerate access to such inputs by farmers.”  

Kyari informed the gathering that the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Nasir Idris, was at his ministry in Abuja to discuss ways of improving agricultural production in the state.

“Through Gov. Idris’ actions, he has ‘walked the talk’ by procuring and distributing of 6,000 solar powered water pumps and other inputs to boost irrigation farming in the state,” he said.

Kyari observed that year-round farming would boost crop cultivation, increase job opportunities, reduce poverty, de-escalate food inflation and enhance inclusivity.

“These are goals highlighted in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Kebbi is one of the states chosen for dry season farming,” he said.

The minister commended the governor for his supportive intervention in line with the call by President Tinubu for collaboration between the federal and state governments to ensure availability of agricultural inputs to farmers to accelerate the attainment of food security.

While distributing the farm inputs, the governor of Kebbi State said that his administration would distribute 12,000 solar powered water pumps, commencing with the 6,000 distributed to farmers for them to increase yields.