Abubakar Kyari, the new minister of agriculture and food security, took office on Monday and said that the federal government will make sure to feed Nigerians and export food to generate foreign currency for the nation.
He emphasized that Nigeria had the capability to meet the objectives set and that these were the team’s targets.
During a brief reception that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Abuja hosted for him and the Minister of State, Aliyu Abdullahi, Kyari said.
We are aware of the situation we are facing, he continued. One of the major issues we face in our nation is hunger. When I mention hunger, I also mean that there are obstacles to feeding. There are also other problems, including floods and lack of security.
“The political will led by President Bola Tinubu is the largest hope we have for me, my colleague the Minister of State, and even state governors.
“I believe we face a significant challenge, but it is manageable. In addition to securing and feeding the nation, our goal is to export food, which is both possible and imminent.
While accompanying the ministers to the ministry, the governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, stated that Nigeria needed credible long- and medium-term plans to alleviate food insecurity.
He recommended that the nation engage in commercial agriculture and use cutting-edge farming methods, including irrigation and green technology.
“What we are doing right now, giving Nigerians palliatives, won’t ever address our problems because these are temporary fixes. We need to look for sustainable, long-term solutions to the problem of insecurity and food insecurity in Nigeria.
“Investing in commercial agriculture, modern agriculture, irrigated agriculture, green technology, developing technology, and so on, is therefore the only choice we have; this is the only solution.
Zulum said, “Unless something is done, we shall never be able to solve these difficulties because our population is rising geometrically quickly while our food supply is decreasing.
