• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home Government Agric Minister blames Smuggling for Scarcity
  • Government

Agric Minister blames Smuggling for Scarcity

By
Prnigeria
-
March 5, 2024
Senator Abubakar Kyari,
Senator Abubakar Kyari,

Agric Minister blames Smuggling for Scarcity

…Targets 1 million tonnes of rice during dry season Farming

…Presidency approves sale of seized imported food items, others – Customs

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, blamed the lingering food scarcity across the country on unabated smuggling of food items across borders and the Naira redesign policy, which left smallholder farmers without cash to cultivate their farms between 2022 and 2023.

Senator Kyari who made the disclosure while addressing members of the House of Representatives during the third Sectoral Debate on ‘Agriculture and Food Security’, however, confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the Ministry a matching order to do everything humanly possible to address the rising food insecurity in the country, including the release of grains from the National Strategic Grain Reserve.

According to him, as a result of the non-availability of cash, preparation for the 2023 farming season was inadequate to produce sufficient food crops to feed over 200 million Nigerian Citizens.

He noted that Nigeria was in the process of producing one million tonnes of rice within the next three months following dry season inputs to farmers under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme to guarantee food security in the country.

Read Also:

  • Senator Dickson Breaks Silence: Rejects Defection to APC, Backs Amupitan for INEC Chair
  • ECOWAS Anti-Corruption Network Re-Elects EFCC Chair Olukoyede, Adopts New Guidelines
  • NANS Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to FG, ASUU to End Dispute or Face Action

He however lamented that there are about 5,000 tractor working across the country when the country ought to have 72,000 functional tractors to meet the growing need of Nigerians.

In the bid to bridge the gap, Senator Kyari disclosed that the Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a manufacturer to supply 2,000 tractors annually for the next five years.

The Minister also emphasized the need for mechanization of the agricultural value chain as a long term measure for food security.

According to him, “We have seen the smuggling of foodstuffs to other neighbouring countries. This has affected the availability of food items in the country,” .

Also speaking at the debate, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, also said that the Service arrested about 120 trucks smuggling food items from Nigeria to other countries through the porous borders.

He also disclosed that the Service has commenced the sale of seized food items to vulnerable Nigerians to address hunger across the country.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu has directed that food items produced in Nigeria and seized at the Nigerian land borders, be sold directly to vulnerable Nigerians to ease the challenge of hunger in the country.

“Mr. President has directed that we sell directly to needy Nigerians food items produced locally but which were seized. This is one of the ways to address hunger and food scarcity we are facing. We have started this in Lagos.

“Also, the President has also directed that imported food items seized by the Nigeria Customs Service should be sold back to the local markets for resale to Nigerians,”.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Agriculture and Food Security
  • Foodstuffs
  • Senator Abubakar Kyari
Previous articleUrgently Needed – Youth Inclusion in Nigeria’s Insecurity War
Next articleKillers of Imo Monarch to Face Fresh Charges in Abuja
Prnigeria
Prnigeria
Xing

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Senator Dickson Breaks Silence: Rejects Defection to APC, Backs Amupitan for INEC Chair

ASUU

NANS Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to FG, ASUU to End Dispute or Face Action

FG Moves to Deepen Climate-Smart Policies, Partnerships Across Africa

U.S. Army War College Inducts Late Lagbaja into International Hall of Fame

Irabor's book on Boko Haram

Irabor’s Scars on Northern Boko Haram and the Dead Horse Theory by YAShuaib

Ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki

Court Dismisses DSS Bid to Reintroduce Rejected Evidence Against Sambo Dasuki

ICPC, EFCC, CCB Partner on Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Research Initiative

Kwara Gov’t Disburses N180 Million to Families of Fallen Forest Guards, Vigilantes, Community Fighters

Trump Arrives in Israel Ahead of Egypt Summit on Gaza Peace Efforts

Information Minister Congratulates Danlami Nmodu on Election as GOCOP President

African body, experts urge leaders to step up countries’ health financing

Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum

Gen. Irabor’s Book Exposes Boko Haram’s Sexual Violence Tactics and Drug Use

Recent Posts

  • Senator Dickson Breaks Silence: Rejects Defection to APC, Backs Amupitan for INEC Chair
  • ECOWAS Anti-Corruption Network Re-Elects EFCC Chair Olukoyede, Adopts New Guidelines
  • NANS Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to FG, ASUU to End Dispute or Face Action
  • Again, Army Eliminates Bandits, Rescues 9 Abducted Victims in Kwara
  • NAF Decorates 64 Senior Officers Promoted to Group Captain
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Senator Dickson Breaks Silence: Rejects Defection to APC, Backs Amupitan for INEC ChairECOWAS Anti-Corruption Network Re-Elects EFCC Chair Olukoyede, Adopts New GuidelinesNANS Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to FG, ASUU to End Dispute or Face ActionAgain, Army Eliminates Bandits, Rescues 9 Abducted Victims in KwaraNAF Decorates 64 Senior Officers Promoted to Group CaptainAbuja's Real Estate: The Math Is Not Mathing By Hawwah A GamboBoko Haram: FG Commends Borno People for Overcoming Decade-Long ChallengesMarwa Urges Global Unity to Dismantle Criminal Drug Networks at UN SessionDSS Nabs Two Dismissed Officers for Impersonation, Defrauding NigeriansCustoms Tasks New Comptrollers on Discipline, InnovationRivers Police Arrest Two Kidnappers Who Lured Victim Through Dating SiteBusiness Mogul and Philanthropist Alhaji Ali Akinyele Dies at 78Troops Foil Drug Trafficking in Nasarawa as Suspect Flees, Abandons VehicleKano Correctional Service Explains Transfer of Inmate Abduljabbar KabaraTroops Raid Terrorist Camps in Taraba; Recover AK-47, Military Uniforms
X whatsapp