President Bola Tinubu’s administration has stepped up Nigeria’s agricultural output through targeted investments in production and post-production initiatives, yielding tangible results, according to award-winning soil scientist Dr Kingsley Uzoma.

Speaking on a monitored television programme in Abuja on Wednesday, Uzoma, who also serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, said that since 2023, the government has rolled out numerous programmes to support farmers and enhance food security.

He highlighted that over 500,000 farmers have benefited from subsidised fertiliser and seed inputs through the African Food Security Emergency Support Programme, leading to a marked rise in productivity. 

The Irrigate Nigeria project, he added, aims to provide irrigation for five million hectares of farmland nationwide, reducing reliance on rainfall and countering the effects of climate change.

“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, each of the 774 local government areas will have a government-led, private sector-driven structured organisation benefiting from low-interest financing to further boost productivity,” Uzoma stated.

He also noted that the Green Imperative Project, relaunched under Tinubu’s administration, is expected to trigger a significant leap in agricultural productivity over the next decade, ensuring food security, increasing exports, and further diversifying the economy.

Citing falling prices of staples such as rice, maize, and ginger as proof of progress, Uzoma assured that the benefits of these reforms will soon reach households nationwide. 

He added that the government has significantly increased wheat production, more than tenfold, and is now engaging flour mills to buy more from Nigerian farmers.

With sustained investment in irrigation, farmer subsidies, and modern equipment, the administration aims to cement agriculture as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness.

Source: TheNiche