In a significant boost to food production and availability, the Nigerian Federal Government has announced that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has allocated $134 million to Nigeria for the cultivation of rice, maize, sorghum, and soybean.
Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, revealed this allocation during a keynote address at the ‘Preparatory Meeting of Relevant Stakeholders for the Implementation of National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP)’ held in Abuja.
Dr. Umakhihe emphasized that the purpose of the meeting was to deliberate and chart a way forward for the effective and efficient implementation of the rebranded NAGS-AP, an ICT-based platform for delivering essential farm inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and agrochemicals to farmers across the country.
He reminded the participants that the Federal Government, in collaboration with state governments and private sector players, previously implemented the successful e-wallet Scheme called the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme between 2012 and 2017.
This scheme played a crucial role in delivering agricultural inputs to farmers nationwide, benefiting not only smallholder farmers but also input producers, distributors, financial institutions, and other players in the agricultural value chain.
Recognizing the significant impact of the GES Scheme, Dr. Umakhihe explained that the Federal Government had rebranded it as the NAGS-AP, with enhanced implementation strategies and operational modalities to address observed weaknesses and associated challenges.
The Ministry’s desire to test the reformed Agro Pocket Scheme led to the restructuring of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-One (ATASP-1) Project, securing funds to kick-start the implementation of the Scheme in the states of Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano, and Sokoto.
The ATASP-1 Project aims to support 60,000 smallholder farmers in 26 Local Government Areas of the five ATASP-1 states engaged in the cultivation of rice, maize, and sorghum. These farmers will receive critical farm inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and agrochemicals through the ICT-based delivery platform.
The goal is to increase their productivity, household incomes, and livelihoods, ultimately contributing to bridging the national food supply-demand gap exacerbated by the global food crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, climatic variabilities, and security challenges.
Dr. Umakhihe highlighted that the same ICT platform would be used to implement future farm input support programs, particularly under the forthcoming Policy Base Operations (PBO) project.
The PBO, funded through a loan from the AfDB under the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF), will be implemented nationwide for a period of two years, starting from the 2023/2024 dry season farming. A total of $134 million has been allocated to Nigeria under the PBO facility to support wheat production as well as key crops such as rice, maize, sorghum, and soybean. The NAGS-AP will serve as the implementation framework for the PBO project.
The primary goal of the NAGS is to increase total food production, stabilize agricultural commodity prices, and make them affordable for the average Nigerian. By providing relevant farm inputs to small-scale farmers for both wet and dry season farming, the project aims to increase the production of wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and soybean.
For instance, the project targets supporting over 250,000 wheat farmers with necessary inputs to cultivate about 250,000 hectares and achieve an expected output of 1,250,000 metric tonnes of wheat. This will contribute to the national food reserve, reduce dependence on foreign imports, and increase domestic consumption, particularly for flour millers.
In addition to supporting farmers with critical inputs, the project will provide institutional support to improve overall performance.
Dr. Umakhihe emphasized the importance of adhering strictly to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Operational Modalities (OMs) of NAGS-AP to prevent any exploitation by those who might compromise the integrity of the scheme.
He urged input producers to adhere to prescribed standards, input distributors to sell only certified and approved products, and farmers to use the inputs according to best agronomic practices. Furthermore, he stressed the need for the ICT platform provider to deploy a reliable system capable of capturing and tracing all transactions under the scheme.
During the meeting, Ibrahim Arabi, the National Coordinator of ATASP-1, highlighted the program’s impact since its inception. Notably, ATASP-1 has significantly increased food production, created new jobs, and boosted the income of program beneficiaries. The program’s success in improving cassava and rice yields, expanding land area under cultivation, and adding substantial quantities of these crops to the national food basket was also noted.
The implementation of NAGS-AP in the five states of Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Kebbi will focus on promoting rice, sorghum, and maize cultivation. Benefiting farmers will receive assistance in the form of fertilizers, agrochemicals, and seeds. Through such initiatives, Nigeria aims to enhance food security, increase self-sufficiency, and improve the livelihoods of its citizens.
The collaboration between the Federal Government, the African Development Bank, state governments, private sector players, and other stakeholders signals a new era of hope for food security in Nigeria. With the implementation of NAGS-AP and the forthcoming PBO project, Nigeria is taking proactive measures to address the challenges posed by global food crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and security issues.
By investing in agricultural development, the country is laying the foundation for a sustainable and resilient food system that will benefit its people and contribute to economic growth.