Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, has said that the Federal Government will inject the sum of N600 billion into the country’s agricultural sector to help small scale farmers ramp up agricultural production in ensuring food security and sustainability.
The Minister made this known on Monday during a tour visit to Dangote’s Fertiliser Plant in Lagos. He also met with a group of companies into fertiliser production to discuss ways of increasing the demand of the agricultural inputs for farmers.
Nanono explained that the said figure would be in the form of inputs and not cash in which about 2.4 million farmers would be drafted for the first phase of the government’s finance initiative.
He added that the current COVID-19 pandemic which has led to the closure of international borders is proof that the country can sufficiently and sustainably feed its growing population.
On the hand, the Minister promised to support farming settlements in Lagos State with motorable roads connecting them to the markets, provision of solar power as well as access to water for irrigation in their farms in order to boost productivity in the state.
Nanono also pledged in collaboration with the state government in the fishing sector to take advantage of the state’s aquatic resources in fish production which could be a major income earner for the state.
Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State in response affirmed that the state would collaborate with the federal government in its efforts to attaining rice sufficiency when the state completes its rice mill project which he described as the largest rice mill in Nigeria with a capacity to mill approximately 30 million metric tonnes of rice per annum.
The Governor added that the massive project would aid the country to embark on rice exportation.
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