MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE RECORDS SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN FOOD SECURITY, PRODUCTIVITY
Nigeria has made significant strides in transforming its agricultural sector and enhancing food security over the past three years under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
At a stakeholders’ engagement forum on Agricultural and Food Systems Transformation, Senator Kyari highlighted key achievements recorded by the Ministry since the current administration took office, particularly in the last two years.
The Minister noted that food prices of essential commodities have dropped by up to 50 percent nationwide, reversing the sharp increases witnessed in previous years.
Since assuming office, this administration has made food security a top priority. Our efforts are starting to pay off, with a notable impact on food prices,” Kyari said.
The Ministry has focused on developing strategic value chains including rice, maize, wheat, millet, sorghum, yam, cocoa, cassava, soybeans, cotton, and oil palm, among others.
These efforts have created opportunities for millions of smallholder farmers.
Key interventions in 2024 and 2025 include the distribution of high-quality seeds, agrochemicals, safety kits, and pest management packs, alongside extensive capacity-building programmes.
These measures have helped many farmers transition from subsistence farming to viable agribusinesses.
A 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey conducted by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) in collaboration with the Ministry confirmed higher outputs in major crops such as rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam, and cassava compared to 2024.
The government distributed over 1.9 million bags of fertilizers to nearly one million farmers.
Additional achievements include the promotion of organic fertilizers, with 12,000 litres distributed, the training of 109 fertilizer inspectors, and the training of over 329 industry stakeholders on regulatory compliance.
The Ministry also established a National Reference Laboratory and upgraded the National Fertilizer Management Platform to improve quality control and curb the circulation of fake fertilizers.
Over 3,500 farmers were trained on sustainable soil management practices.
Significant investments were made in rural infrastructure, including the construction of approximately 170 kilometres of asphalt roads and 57 kilometres of earth roads.
The Ministry also provided 296 motorized and solar-powered boreholes with water treatment plants, installed 3,596 solar street lights, and constructed 69 rural housing and market facilities.
In 2025, the Ministry launched the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanization Programme with the deployment of 2,000 tractors and other agricultural equipment.
It also established 10 large-scale integrated processing plants across the six geopolitical zones and set up seven composite flour milling factories.
Two agribusiness incubation centres were also established at Federal University Lokoja and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), supported by the African Development Bank, recorded notable early successes, including the profiling of 7,398 farmers, cultivation of 409 hectares under climate-resilient practices, and improved rice yields averaging five metric tons per hectare.
The National Agricultural Growth Scheme – Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) registered over 647,500 farmers and supported 622,818 with subsidized inputs, contributing to a 30 percent increase in crop production in participating states.
Under the Nigerian Farmers Soil Health Scheme, pilot soil assessment laboratories were installed in four states, while farmers recorded up to 20 percent yield increases through improved soil testing and fertilizer recommendations.
The Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation provided N700 billion risk cover to 199,275 farmers.
The Bank of Agriculture also received a N250 billion facility to provide single-digit interest loans to smallholder farmers.
The National Agricultural Development Fund supported various value chains and flood-affected farmers.
The Ministry further strengthened cooperatives by registering 40 National Cooperative Apexes and training their leaders, while enhancing export readiness through the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service for 30 key agro-commodities.
Senator Kyari emphasized special attention to women and youths through gender-responsive extension services, access to credit, and training in climate-smart agriculture.
The Ministry also adopted the First Lady’s “Every Home a Garden” initiative to promote household food production.
The Minister acknowledged collaboration with sister ministries, including the Ministry of Livestock Development, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and Ministry of Water Resources, stressing the importance of sustained stakeholder engagement.
While acknowledging remaining challenges, Senator Kyari expressed optimism that sustained collaboration, innovation, and investment would further strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector and achieve lasting food security
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