(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Minister-of-Agriculture-300x224.jpg) The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Akimwumi Adeshina has assured the nation of food security, by disclosing that the intervention of his Ministry will add 20 million metric tons of food to the domestic supply by 2015.
He made this remark while presenting his Ministry's score card at the ministerial platform organize by Federal Ministry of Information in Abuja.
The Minister declared that with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) embarked upon by the Ministry under his leadership ended four decades of corruption in the distribution of seeds and fertilizer in Nigeria within 90 days. He stated that government has no business being involved in that aspect; that the private sector has been given the free hand to operate and positive results were being recorded within a short period of time.
The minister further declared that with the introduction of "Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES)" and the "Electronic Wallet", many Nigerian farmers have been able to access farm inputs at subsidized price; which has also reduced corruption drastically.
(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ministers.jpg) (http://fmi.gov.ng/federal-ministry-of-agriculture-and-rural-development-tackles-food-security-in-nigeria/ministers-2/) (L-R) Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bukar Tijani; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Adewunmi Adesina; Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia seated at the Ministerial Platform 2013. The Minister further encouraged Nigerians to patronize the cassava bread that the bread is tastier, durable and nourish able. He implored Nigerians that if Americans patronize potato bread, what stops Nigerians from patronizing cassava bread. The minister further declared that Nigeria is embarking on a revolution in rice production. That Nigeria has no business importing rice rather we should be exporting; "Rice can be grown in every part of the country. Already about 77 billion naira has been injected into the economy of 10 states in northern Nigeria and its yielding dividends for the farmers."
The Minister stated that with the several interventions of government in the agricultural sector, additional 8million metric tons of food was added to domestic food supply in 2012, which is about 70% above the target set. "The Ministry is working assiduously in line with transformation agenda of the Federal Government and its drive to boost food production for domestic consumption and subsequently embark on large scale export.
Earlier, in the opening remarks, the Minister of Information and the coordinator of the programme, Mr. Labaran Maku commended the Minister of Agriculture for a job well done; saying that agriculture has been transformed from what he used to know.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria