Tag: Abubakar Kyari

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Abubakar Kyari has called on chairmen of the Boards of Agricultural Research Institutes and Colleges to work closely with their institutions to develop climate-smart seeds that can help tackle Nigeria’s food security challenges.

Kyari, who met with the newly appointed board chairmen in Abuja,     emphasised  urgent need to use research and innovation to drive agricultural productivity.

“I have full confidence in your ability to deliver. Many of you come from research institutes and colleges of agriculture. However, we’ve seen a decline in research, particularly in the development of quality seeds and agronomic practices,” he said.

The minister noted that shrinking farmlands and a growing population demand more efficient agricultural solutions.

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“Climate change is a reality we must adapt to, and one way to do that is through improved seed varieties from the institutes under your leadership,” Kyari added.

He expressed optimism that with committed leadership, the sector would make significant progress.

Reiterating    government’s preparedness to stabilise  food prices, Kyari  said: “We’re on the right track. Though we’re not where we want to be, progress made in less than two years is unprecedented.” 

The minister cautioned against the  inclusion of  non-agricultural items in budgeting processes, citing previous instances where such attracted negative public attention.

The Centre for Rural Prosperity and Agricultural Development (CeRPAD), a policy research organisation, has praised the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, for championing transformative reforms that are beginning to yield tangible outcomes in Nigeria’s food production value chain.

Following an 18-month independent evaluation across 26 states, the centre said it observed significant progress in farmers’ access to inputs, crop yields, and post-harvest management — particularly in states like Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa, Cross River, and Niger.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Dr Jude Okoye, CeRPAD’s Executive Director, said the study was initiated to assess the real-time effects of the federal government’s agricultural policies on rural communities and food systems.

“Our team visited agricultural hubs in 26 states and the results were encouraging. In Benue and Jigawa, for instance, rice farmers have recorded higher yields, thanks to improved seed distribution and timely access to fertilisers,” Okoye said.

“In Cross River and Ekiti, maize and cassava growers shared how the return of trained agricultural extension officers helped them embrace smarter planting techniques that increased output. These aren’t projections — these are field-level realities.”

According to CeRPAD, the report further highlights a reduction in food prices in key rural markets, which it attributes to expanded food availability and higher productivity across the supply chain.

“In Niger state, yam and sorghum farmers reported surplus harvests, and they’ve been able to sell competitively within and outside their communities, increasing food access and reducing scarcity,” Okoye added.

“We also noted a shift in the outlook of smallholder farmers — more optimism, better organisation, and renewed trust in government-led interventions. That psychological lift is as important as the material inputs.”

CeRPAD credited Senator Kyari’s focused leadership and pragmatic approach with helping to stabilise the agricultural sector, boost rural resilience, and create measurable gains in food security.

“Senator Kyari’s tenure has brought direction and structure to agricultural governance. His grasp of sector challenges and his commitment to data-driven solutions have restored confidence among rural producers,” Okoye stated.

The organisation explained that its assessment involved field inspections, farmer interviews, and analysis of commodity flows in high-yield zones. 

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It urged Nigerians to rally behind the ministry’s efforts, noting that agricultural transformation requires sustained investment and long-term policy consistency.

The organisation emphasised that one of the clearest indicators of progress is the reduction in food prices.

“One of the most remarkable outcomes we observed during our fieldwork was the steady reduction in food prices in many rural and peri-urban markets. This shift is directly linked to the increased availability of staple crops like rice, maize, cassava, and sorghum — a result of the ministry’s timely distribution of quality inputs and support services. Farmers are harvesting more, and as supply improves, the pressure on prices has begun to ease,” Okoye said.

“In states like Benue and Niger, yam and grain farmers told us they no longer have to hoard produce or sell at distressed rates. With improved yields and better post-harvest handling, they now enter the market with confidence, and this has significantly improved food availability. These aren’t just economic changes; they translate to lower prices for households and more nutritious meals on family tables.”

“It’s important to note that the ministry’s reforms are restoring a level of stability to food systems that had been severely disrupted. By tackling bottlenecks in input distribution and supporting farmers through extension services, the government is driving down production costs. Those savings are gradually reflecting in retail prices — a trend we believe will continue if current efforts are sustained and scaled.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has been elected the Vice Chairman of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The election, which took place at the 48th Session of the IFAD Governing Council in Rome, Italy, solidifies Nigeria’s leadership in global agricultural transformation.

IFAD, a United Nations specialised agency, is dedicated to alleviating rural poverty and enhancing agricultural development worldwide.

Kyari’s appointment is widely seen as an international recognition of Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to reform its agricultural sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

His new position at IFAD is expected to bolster Nigeria’s role in global agricultural governance, further advancing food security and rural development in the country.

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In Kyari’s role at IFAD, Nigeria is expected to wield greater influence in shaping global agricultural policies and investments.

The IFAD Governing Council, the agency’s highest decision-making body, represents 180 member-states.

The newly appointed Bureau consists of Chairman Christophe Schiltz of Luxembourg, alongside two Vice Chairpersons, Senator Abubakar Kyari of Nigeria and Tatiana Rosito of Brazil.

In recent months, IFAD has reinforced its commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural development by approving key funding initiatives, include a two-year extension of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) to strengthen smallholder farming.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has stressed importance of scaling up agricultural extension to enhance food security.

He spoke at the National Agricultural Extension Service Impact-sharing Workshop by USAID Agricultural Extension Activity and the ministry.

Kyari, represented by Director of Federal Department of Extension Services, Deola Lordbanjou, said the event was a platform to share success and lessons of extension service delivery through collaboration between the depart ment and USAID.

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The partnership, he said, has led to improvements in extension and advisory services crucial in boosting productivity and income of small farmers.

He noted that since 2020, the collaboration has introduced business solutions and integrated private extension delivery into the national extension policy, benefiting over 311 MSMEs that aid small farmers.

Kyari said the efforts have improved production and digital extension initiatives.

The initiative, he said, has created jobs while boosting farmers’ access to markets.

The minister called on stakeholders to expand these models to reduce rural poverty and tackle food insecurity.

Director of Winrock International, Jean Rousseau noted the role of MSMEs in transforming extension services.

Rousseau said there were challenges in designing initiative to deliver services to small farmers in Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger.

He noted the difficulty of achieving food sufficiency in Nigeria with one extension agent serving 10,000 farmers.

The minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, has said the scarcity of tomatoes being experienced in parts of Nigeria is caused by “severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato leaf miner.”

Many households reportedly resorted to tomato pastes and other alternatives as the price of fresh tomatoes skyrockets.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, May 28, the minister said the federal government has taken action to combat the issue.

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Kyari said: “A significant number of our tomato farms have been affected by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner. This has drastically reduced the availability of tomatoes and contributed to rising costs.

“Our ministry is taking immediate action to combat this issue. We are deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to contain and eliminate the infestation.

“Additionally, we are supporting our farmers with the necessary resources and guidance to recover their crops as quickly as possible, just as we instituted the Ginger Blight Control Taskforce.

“We understand the impact this has on your daily lives and are working tirelessly to resolve the situation and restore the supply of affordable tomatoes. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.”

The minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, has called for more investment in research and development to grow the agriculture sector of the economy.                

The minister stated this over the week at the 4th edition of the agric-investment and capital market conference (AICM 2024) in Lagos.

Kyari said: “Governments and businesses must understand the importance of investing in innovation, research, and development. By supporting entrepreneurship, fostering an environment that encourages creativity and providing resources for start-ups, we can cultivate an ecosystem that paves the way for economic growth and prosperity from here.

“It is through the active participation and engagement of individuals, professionals and investors that the agricultural sector can flourish. This can be achieved by nurturing a Good sense of togetherness, encouraging collaboration, and investing in infrastructure, education, and social programme.”

Represented by the Lagos state coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs. Omolara Abimbola, Kyari, who declared the event opened noted that growth must not be pursued at the expense of the environment or marginalized communities.

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“We must strive for growth that benefits everyone, leaving no one behind must be our watchword. By promoting equality, preserving our natural resources, and embracing sustainable practices, we can foster growth that is both beneficial and long-lasting.”

In her address, the Chief Executive Officer of Welcome2Africa International, Bamidele Owoola noted that the 4th edition of the AICM was an effort to spur sustainable agricultural development throughout the African continent having successfully facilitated huge investment in agriculture in the continent.

She posited: “We are pleased to announce that Welcome2Africa International successfully facilitated $24 million in investment for various Nigerian Agribusinesses at the Agri-Investment and Capital Market Conference (AICM).

“This outstanding accomplishment is a turning point in our mission to strengthen agribusinesses, encourage agribusiness innovation, and propel economic development throughout Africa.”

She disclosed that the 2024 conference was an improvement over last year.

“AICM 2024 is an improvement above 2023, which procured investments totalling $12 million. The $24 million investment demonstrates the faith and belief in our aim to change the agricultural landscape of Africa. It was obtained through strategic partnerships and collaborations with global investors through the AICM deal room components,” she added

The former group executive director of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole said in the development of agriculture in Nigeria, the smallholder farmers, who are mostly in the rural areas must not be neglected.

“So, I believe that Nigeria is at a crossroads. On the one hand, you have a huge population of which a lot of them are farmers and a lot of them are in the rural areas, which means that the smallholder farmer is an integral part of the Nigerian economy.

“When you are dealing with the future of agriculture and agribusiness, you have to deal with smallholder farmers and you have to ensure that the women and the children of those smallholder farmers are taken care of, which means that policy has to bear them in mind.”

To go agriculture, according to him, there is a need to increase access to arable land for mechanised farming.

He said: “Nigeria has to have a mix, an integral mix between smallholder farmers and large-scale industrial farming. That mix must be done.”

On the way out of food insecurity in the country, Cole said Nigeria must deal with the security challenges facing the country.

“Well, I would say that if you look at what happened in the world between 2012 and 2023, you saw that the world actually tackled food security and there was an improvement in food security.

“But the data shows that Nigeria was one of the few countries that had not dealt with it adequately. But if you look at it deeper from our own issues, we find out that what has driven that has been a lot of insecurity.

“Had we dealt with the security issues, then we would have been able to deal with food security because we actually have the people, we have the land, we have the ability to grow, we have the temperature, we have what is needed. So, we have to deal with security. Once you deal with security, you deal with food security.

He also emphasised the role of the capital market in promoting agricultural development.

Cole posited: “Capital market is a platform. It’s a place where trade exchanges are made. And so, the capital market always has money looking for opportunities. Once you can bring the opportunities to the capital market, then money will flow.

“And that’s exactly what it is. If not, you just have money by sitting down and not doing anything. But money must work. So, the capital market has the investment, it has the money, and it has to find the opportunity. When we enter the equity exchange market and begin to trade such commodities on the market, it brings liquidity into the market. And that liquidity brings long-term investment.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has urged research institutes and colleges of agriculture to drive agricultural transformation through research and training.

Kyari stated this in Abuja during the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) workshop for its directors, Chief Executive Officers of the National Agricultural Research Institutes and Federal Colleges of Agriculture.

The minister, who was represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Aliyu Abdullahi, said agricultural transformation is the main reason the Federal Government is insisting on the implementation of the ARCN Act amended in 2021.

This amendment, he said, made provisions for efficient management of research and training, including the establishment of spinoff companies to commercialise research products and innovations generated by our institutions.

Kyari said the platform must be strengthened as a means of increasing the internally generated revenue of all institutions in order to augment the available fund for research, training and extension.

He however directed Colleges of Agriculture to emphasise vocational and skill acquisition in their training programmes. 

This, he said, will enable the beneficiaries of this training programmes to have practical and working knowledge of agricultural businesses.

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He said: “There is a clear concern on growing shortages of staple crops such as rice, wheat, cassava, soybean, millet, sorghum among others, which are key to the achievement of food security of our dear nation.

“This must be the main reason Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared food security as the number one of his eight-point agenda to drive economic development of the country.’’

“Agriculture is the singular most important sector that can transform the economy of our great country to meet the growing demands for food, nutrition, industry and jobs. Accordingly, increase in agricultural productivity is the key determinant for socio-economic transformation and thus livelihood improvements in Nigeria”.

In his remarks, Prof Garba Sharabutu said the council would work with relevant stakeholders to ensure the country achieve self-sufficiency in food production.

He said ARCN will deliberate on the new performance-based evaluation system, among others as well as issues that have to do with the restructuring of the council.