Minister Assures Farmers On Agric Dev

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has promised Nigerian farmers lots of improvement under the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Action Plan (ATAP).

Adesina who made the pledge last Thursday in Abuja, said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was committed to reviving the agriculture sector to attain its former status as the country’s foremost foreign exchange earner.

“I believe that our farmers all across the country, this is the time to get behind agriculture because as your minister, I have been directed by Mr President to make sure that we make agriculture work for you.

“So every single thing that I do everyday working for Mr President is with the farmers in mind.

“So I want Nigerian farmers to know that these are new times, and we will do everything that we can to make sure that agriculture works for you once again.’’

Adesina also told newsmen that initiatives such as the marketing institutions and “Guarantee Minimum Price’’ of the government would create access to farm inputs and private sector participation in agriculture.

“We are putting in place some initiatives such as Guarantee Minimum Price which we will be announcing very soon to allow you to get good prices for what you produce.

“And in addition to that, we will also be putting in place marketing institutions that will allow you to be able to have access to inputs and coordinate the markets.’’

While expressing concern over the heavily import-dependent status of the country, Adesina promised that ATAP would facilitate Nigeria’s growth from being food import dependent, to a major exporter of food.

“I also want to assure Nigerians that with respect to the agricultural transformation plan we have, it is to move Nigeria from being a food dependent country to being a major exporter of food.

“Nigeria has no business importing food; Nigeria should be a major exporter of food and so, all of our reforms are directed at growing agriculture; growing it in terms of its contribution to the GDP.

“Growing it in terms of contributions to jobs and wealth creation and growing it to diversify this economy from oil.’’

The minister noted that government recognised the role small holder farmers played in the agriculture sector and would, therefore, grant them access to loans, seeds, fertilisers and ready markets for their produce.