The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari has said that a total of 23 crop varieties have been released by National Agricultural Research Institutes under the present administration.
He said the crops have also been certified and released by the National Varietal Release Committee.
Speaking at the Sectoral Pressing Briefing Series to mark the one year of the Present administration, organized by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation Kyari said there is also a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with John Deere and Tata Africa to assemble in-country and supply 10,000 tractors with implements and accessories at 2,000 units yearly, as well as 100 units of combine harvesters to support production.
He also said that the present administration has facilitated the supply of 2,000 tractors from Belarus and also in partnership with the Brazilian government with the sum of 995,000 Euros to provide mechanization hubs across the federation.
Speaking further on some of the achievements of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, the Minister noted that there is the promotion of e-extension Services through Farmers Help Line and one-stop Extension Services Delivery Centres nationwide.
On rural infrastructure, the Minister said the Federal Government has constructed 77.8km of asphalt roads, constructed 130.9 km of earthen roads, provided 102 motorized and solar-powered boreholes, and installed 6,504 solar streetlights.
Speaking on agro-processing and value addition, Kyari informed about the implementation of the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme in Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Cross River, Imo states, and the FCT for the production and processing of rice, tomato, groundnuts, sesame, maize, ginger, soyabean, cassava, cocoa, livestock, dairy, poultry, and aquaculture.
He said the government has also established two Agribusiness Incubation Centres in Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia, and completed one 8MT/hr Large Scale Integrated Rice Processing Mill in Suleja, Niger.
Kyari also noted that currently, there is an intensification of efforts for the production and processing of Soybean, Sesame, Ginger, Hibiscus, and Tree Crop produce for export and the improvement of the standardization and quality assurance process for exportable agricultural commodities.
He said to assist farmers, the federal government distributed 60,432mt of improved seeds, 887,255mt seedlings, 138 value kits, 501,726 litres of agrochemicals, 62,328.5 metric tons of inorganic fertilisers, 1,000kg fungicide, and 33,200 equipment to farmers across different value chains to enhance production.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said the objective of the Sectoral press briefing is to enlighten, inform, and educate Nigerians and the world, and to ensure that everyone is carried along through the provision of detailed, relevant, credible and timely information.
