The federal government has reiterated its commitment to increase agricultural productivity, livelihood opportunities and wealth creation in the country.

Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security, stated this on Tuesday at the ministerial sectoral retreat with the theme “Performance Improvement and Strategic Alignment” in Abuja.

Mr Kyari said that agricultural transformation through strategic leadership is intended to enhance agricultural development and food security in Nigeria.

He said that President Bola Tinubu, at the onset of his administration, declared a state of emergency in agriculture to enable the Council of State to include the water and food sectors as a focus of high priority.

“It is to make us transit from subsistence to a commercial farming system, since food sufficiency contributes to national sovereignty and stability,” he said.

He said that the ministry is working with several international partners to secure funding and expertise to support its agricultural initiatives.

Mr Kyari said the government’s commitment is to ensure farmers’ safety, manage agricultural landscape, provide rural infrastructure and intensify research innovation, among others.

”Our Ministry is committed to leveraging technology, innovation and climate-smart agriculture to boost productivity and resilience.

“We are also delivering the National Food Reserve Programme of mopping-up excess production, balancing price volatility and enabling farm output,” he said.

He said that the federal and state governments are implementing partnerships with Belarus Messrs, John Deere, as well as Brazil, for the purpose of manufacturing agricultural machinery to close the tractorisation gap in Nigeria.

“In this respect, we are collaborating with stakeholders to stimulate and accelerate the production and processing of leading agricultural commodities.

“Let us recommit to our mission to feed Nigeria, create jobs and drive economic growth through sustainable agriculture.”

Mr Kyari said there is a need to make farming more competitive, towards agricultural production, industrial integration and profitable agribusiness.

He said with emphasis on “Eating What We Produce and Producing What We Eat”

In his remarks, Aliyu Abdullahi, the minister of state for agriculture and food security, said that the retreat was designed to enhance capacity building, research, and innovation.

“The central aim of the ministry is to promote sustainable agriculture and achieve food security in Nigeria. The directorate cadre is pivotal in advancing this agenda,” he said.

Earlier, Marcus Ogunbiyi, the permanent secretary of the ministry of agriculture and food security, said that the retreat was both timely and strategic.

He said the retreat provided an opportunity to reflect and strategically reposition the ministry and its agencies for greater effectiveness in the discharge of the ministry’s mandate.

In a goodwill message, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head of the civil service of the federation (HoCSF), said that the theme of the event reflected the very core of what the Federal Civil Service represented.

She stated that the agricultural sector remained pivotal to both food security and economic growth.

Mrs Walson-Jack was represented by Alfred Abah, senior special assistant to Mr Tinubu on civil service matters. 

(NAN)