President Bola Tinubu’s drive for food sovereignty has taken another step forward, with the Federal Government rolling out measures aimed at ensuring not just food availability but also affordability and accessibility for Nigerians.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
According to him, the President has directed a Federal Executive Council committee to fast-track measures that will guarantee the safe passage of agricultural produce across the country’s transport routes, in a bid to reduce logistics costs and bring down food prices.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods. Despite interventions, food prices remain out of reach for millions of households.
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Abdullahi noted that the government’s plan is anchored on Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty, which extends beyond production to include affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To strengthen this drive, he revealed that the administration will soon introduce a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to enhance productivity, alongside a revamped cooperative reform initiative aimed at mobilising resources and empowering rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” he added.
The event, themed “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS Director-General, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
