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The Federal Government has restated its commitment towards addressing the food security challenges to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said this at the Green Agric West Africa Expo (GAWA) 2025 on Saturday, March 1, in Lagos.
The agro expo, with the theme: “Green Agriculture: The Path to Food Self-Sufficiency in West Africa”, had in attendance farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.
Kyari, represented by the Ministry’s Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Omolara Abimbola-Oguntuyi, said Nigeria needs long and medium-term sustainable plans to address food insecurity.
He said the Federal Government was investing in commercial agriculture, and adopting modern agricultural techniques such as irrigation, green technology, among others.
“What we are doing now, providing palliatives to Nigerians, will not solve our problems because these are shorter-term solutions.
“We are initiating medium and longer-term sustainable solutions that will address the problem of insecurity, food insecurity in Nigeria.
“The only alternative we have is to invest in commercial agriculture, modern agriculture, irrigated agriculture, green technology, emerging technology and so on.
“Our population is growing in quick geometrical ratio, while our food supply is dwindling, unless something is being done, we shall never get rid of these problems,” he said.
Kyari described agriculture as the backbone of West Africa’s economies and key to sustainable development.
The minister said the policies on nutritious food would promote sustainable farming methods and ensure the long-term viability of agricultural ecosystems.
He said the Federal Government would continue to promote sustainable farming methods to protect biodiversity, conserve natural resources, and ensure the long-term viability of agricultural ecosystems.
According to him, this also includes facilitating networking opportunities by creating valuable networking opportunities for businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.
“Further, attention is being paid to the aspect of food security; emphasising the need for sustainable agricultural practices and policies that ensure access to nutritious food for all.
“I would also like to emphasise that the private sector will remain in the lead as process drivers for the agricultural sector.
“While the government continues to facilitate as well as provide supporting Infrastructures, systems, control processes and oversight.”
Kyari said GAWA 2025 would expose stakeholders in creating a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous agricultural sector in West Africa.
In his keynote, Prof. Lateef Sanni, the Executive Director, Nigeria Stock Product Research Institute, urged the government to prioritise timely release of credit facilities to farmers.
He said, “The government needs to encourage the youth to go into farming and for our youths to take up farming, they need credit facility.
“Therefore, the government need to make available credit facility at a single-digit interest rate to farmers.”
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Mr. Abiodun Olaniyi, the host and Executive Director, Agriquest Africa Network Ltd., said the expo was designed to address the development of agriculture in West Africa.
“We can see that there are lots of dynamics that have happened in agriculture in the past years and we are now taking it to the next level.
“People have to look at the sustainability of agriculture and we can see the climate change coming up.
“We are also talking about regenerative agriculture in terms of our soil and the planting session.
“So, it is a lot that we are using this expo to address technology that will put up our agricultural practices and future of agriculture in West Africa,” Olaniyi said.
By Mercy Omoike
