By Abdullahi Lukman
Nigeria’s federal government says its renewed focus on agriculture is strengthening food security, creating jobs and improving rural infrastructure, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari.
Kyari said the government has prioritised key agricultural value chains—including rice, maize, wheat, millet, sorghum, yam, cocoa, cassava, soybeans, cotton, onion, tomato and oil palm—to position Nigeria as a major player in the global agricultural market.
The initiative, he noted, has created opportunities for millions of smallholder farmers and helped many transition from subsistence farming to profitable agribusinesses.
The minister explained that the government’s strategy aims to increase productivity, strengthen food security and support economic growth. He added that collaboration with stakeholders and sustained partnerships would remain essential to overcoming challenges facing the sector.
According to Kyari, several interventions implemented over the past two years have already improved agricultural output.
These include distributing more than 1.9 million bags of fertilisers to nearly one million farmers and promoting sustainable soil management through the use of organic fertilisers.
He also highlighted rural development projects carried out between 2024 and 2025, including the construction of about 170 kilometres of asphalt roads and 57 kilometres of earth and surface roads to improve market access.
In addition, 296 motorised and solar-powered boreholes and water treatment facilities were installed to enhance access to clean water in rural communities.
Kyari said the government further installed 3,596 solar street lights to improve security and mobility, while 69 rural housing and market facilities were built to stimulate economic activities and reduce poverty in rural areas.
Meanwhile, experts have warned that global food systems remain vulnerable to climate change and supply disruptions. Studies show that reliance on imports for food supplies could expose countries to shortages caused by extreme weather and logistical challenges.
Food policy experts have therefore called for stronger policies and investments to make national food systems more resilient and capable of withstanding future shocks.
