President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that government will continue to promote policies that favour investments in the agricultural sector so as to increase food production and self- sufficiency.
The President made the remarks while speaking at the National Food Security Council meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the President,Federal Government’s wisdom in promoting self-sufficiency over the years helped significantly in averting a food crisis during the coronavirus pandemic.
In the last five years, we have recorded notable achievements,” he said. “Despite the decline in GDP by 6.1 percent in Q2 of 2020 as a direct result of coronavirus, the agricultural sector continued to grow because of government targeted policies.”
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The President also said efforts will be channeled to innovative ways of farming that will guarantee maximum output.
To protect agricultural investments and boost confidence to our farmers we have deployed thousands of agro-rangers and integrated rural communities to the formal economy by extending access to credit and inputs to rural farmers and building feeder roads,” he said.
“We have invested in building our strategic grain reserves in recent years which we recently released significant quantities to cushion the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to vulnerable households and industries.’’
President Buhari, who commended Nigerian farmers for contributing to the stability in food security, said the favourable rainy seasons should serve as encouragement for many to take up farming as a vocation.
The President however sympathized with farmers and families that lost loved ones to recent floods in the country, assuring that the government will support those that were affected.
