The Federal Government’s effort to resolve the food crisis intensified on Wednesday.
To reduce the high cost of food, it ordered the immediate release and distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains from strategic reserves.
According to the Federal Government, the grains will be given free nationwide to the needy and vulnerable.
Also, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with the Rice Millers Association in Abuja on how to make the staple food cheaper.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the proposed commodity boards will take charge of the food supply chain.
He also spoke on the challenges of food security at the maiden Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) initiated by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris in Abuja.
Also on Wednesday, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun announced N5 billion intervention fund to tackle rising food inflation.
Kyari said: “We are aware that food security is national security. We are trying to crash the prices of foods to make these available and affordable.
“The Federal Government is in the process of releasing 42,000 metric tonnes of grains from the nation’s strategic reserve.
“Our interventions will be targeted at the needy in all parts of the country.”
Giving the breakdown of the distribution, Kyari said 1,200 trailers of food, which is an equivalent of 42,000mt, would be distributed through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said the ministry was still working out the modalities for the distribution, which will involve the State Security Service (SSS).
He added: “We have met with NEMA and the SSS to give us the index on where it is necessary based on intelligence report. We want to target those areas where vulnerable Nigerians are.
“The intervention is apt and will be targeted at the needy. We are partnering with other agencies to ensure that this food intervention gets to the needy.
“Food is available as can be seen in the markets but the high cost has become a source of concern for government given its impact on the populace.”
The minister highlighted the components of food security, including demand, supply and affordability.
He said: “Once one factor is derailed, it will impact on the others.”
Kyari also unfolded immediate plans for the agriculture sector.
He said: “We have a lot of sources we can impact on farmers to boost food production in the country.
“There will be recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture. Already, there is a provision for the National Agriculture Fund.
“We have also given the go-ahead to further subsidise fertilisers. We intend to do a comprehensive data capture of farmers. We are also trying to capture the geo-locations of farms.
“We want to do this because a lot of the data was not verified. There were non-farmers and political farmers in our database.”
On the involvement of the governors, Kyari said: “I have seen a lot of commitment to food security from the present crop of governors.”
On plans to establish commodity boards, Kyari said: “I am in support because these boards will take charge of what is needed for the country.
“What we need is that we must secure the country first before any surplus is exported.”
Information Minister Idris described the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as critical to the economy.
Idris said Senator Kyari had been doing a lot of work to implement the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu Administration.He said the briefing provided opportunities to share highlights of that work.
Idris stressed: “Our objective here is to enlighten, inform and educate Nigerians and the world, and to ensure that everyone is carried along through the provision of credible and timely information.”
