Increase agricultural funding to close yield gaps, boost food security — Minister tells Reps

…As Reps Push for Implementation of Agricultural Policies

By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, has called for sustained concern and accrued backing successful Nigeria’s cultivation assemblage to adjacent existing output gaps successful large crops and execute nationalist nutrient security.

Speaking connected Monday astatine a nationalist proceeding organised by the House of Representatives Committee connected Agricultural Production and Services, Abdullahi stressed that accordant financing and enhanced productivity among farmers are captious to bridging the nation’s nutrient deficit.

The proceeding considered 3 cardinal bills: A Bill to Amend the National Agricultural Development Fund (Establishment) Act, 2025 (HB 2036) — aimed astatine strengthening fiscal enactment for agriculture.

A Bill to Establish the National Farm Settlements Agency (HB 1347) — to beforehand cultivation improvement and guarantee nutrient security.

A Bill for the Establishment of the National Rice Production, Processing and Research Institute, Argungu, Kebbi State (HB 423) — to beforehand atom self-sufficiency.

Abdullahi highlighted Nigeria’s persistently debased harvest yields arsenic a large challenge, citing atom and cassava arsenic premier examples.

“For rice, the mean output for our best-performing farmers is astir 5 tonnes per hectare, portion planetary leaders execute betwixt 9 to 12 tonnes. If we tin treble our output to 7 oregon 8 tonnes done due backing and research, the existent 2 cardinal metric tonnes atom shortage tin easy beryllium closed,” helium said.

The curate lamented that galore cultivation institutes person go “employment centres” alternatively than research-driven institutions, urging lawmakers to prioritise strengthening existing ones alternatively than creating caller agencies.

Using cassava arsenic different example, helium said Nigeria, contempt being the world’s largest shaper for implicit 3 decades, continues to grounds debased yields.

“The nationalist mean output is conscionable astir 11 tonnes per hectare, whereas probe shows we tin execute up to 49 tonnes. Doubling that output to 22 tonnes means our existent 60 cardinal metric tonnes output could emergence to 120 cardinal oregon adjacent 180 cardinal — a monolithic boost to the economy,” Abdullahi explained.

He noted that portion the Ministry of Agriculture aligns with the objectives of the projected bills, immoderate administrative provisions request further reappraisal to guarantee alignment with existing laws and programmes.

In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee connected Agricultural Production and Services, Hon. Bello Kaoje, described agriculture arsenic the backbone of Nigeria’s system and the astir reliable way to inclusive maturation and poorness reduction.

“Achieving nutrient information requires dependable policies and effectual legislation. This proceeding provides a level for stakeholders — policymakers, farmers, researchers, investors, and improvement partners — to stock ideas that volition marque these laws applicable and beneficial,” Kaoje said.

He reaffirmed the committee’s committedness to supporting innovation and collaboration with the Executive and backstage assemblage to marque agriculture a concern that drives nationalist prosperity.

Declaring the nationalist proceeding open, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Hon. Ayokunle Isiaka, described the bills arsenic a “blueprint for a secure, self-reliant, and prosperous Nigeria.”

“These legislative efforts show our corporate resoluteness to tackle nutrient insecurity and amended productivity, successful enactment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the declaration of a State of Emergency connected Food Security,” helium said.

The Speaker urged each stakeholders to actively prosecute successful the legislative process to physique a resilient cultivation assemblage susceptible of driving economical maturation and ensuring nutrient information for each Nigerians.

The station Increase cultivation backing to adjacent output gaps, boost nutrient information — Minister tells Reps appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.