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In a bid to alleviate the plight of vulnerable populations nationwide, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is set to distribute 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food items across the country.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this announcement in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.
According to Onanuga, the grains have been bagged at seven locations and will be handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for distribution. The distribution process will commence promptly after the bagging process is completed.
Furthermore, Onanuga revealed that this batch of food aid will be supplemented by an additional 60,000 metric tonnes to be procured by the Federal Government from the Mega Rice Millers.
In addition to immediate relief efforts, the Federal Government is also intensifying food production through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project, particularly focusing on Dry Season Farming.
The first phase of the Dry Season Farming initiative, launched in November 2023, concentrates on wheat cultivation across 15 wheat-producing states, encompassing 118,657 hectares and engaging 107,429 farmers. Remarkable progress has been observed, with wheat fields flourishing, particularly in Jigawa State, where harvest from approximately 50,000 hectares is anticipated.
Phase two of the Dry Season Farming project, targeting rice, maize, and cassava, is slated to commence across all 36 states and the FCT. The ambitious targets include cultivating 250,000 hectares of rice, 55,000 hectares of maize, and 35,000 hectares of cassava, involving hundreds of thousands of farmers. Substantial subsidies, amounting to 50 percent, are provided under the NAGS-AP Project, with additional support from the Federal Government to enhance subsidy rates, reaching approximately 93 percent for Phase two.
Furthermore, state governors are actively collaborating to bolster subsidy initiatives, demonstrating a collective commitment to agricultural development and food security. To enhance irrigation efforts, solar-powered water pumps are being deployed as part of the upcoming phase of the programme.
