Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina
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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has restated the Federal Government’s determination to double food production in 2013.
The Federal Director of Agriculture in Oyo State, Mr. Musiliu Lasisi, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan.
Lasisi said that the Agricultural Transformation Agenda had started yielding positive results, especially with the excitement generated among the farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture. He said that in the New Year, the ministry would intensify activities on another major programme known as, `Agenda on Dry Season Farming for Food Recovery’.
The director explained that under the dry season programme, agricultural inputs would be given to farmers at subsidised cost. “Under the programme, high yielding or early maturing seeds will be distributed free of charge to farmers.’’
Lasisi said that the programme was aimed at ensuring that Nigeria recovered quickly from the devastating flood in 2012 and double production through revolutionary agricultural practices. He said the Food Doubling Agenda, as another programme, was designed to also double agricultural output.
Lasisi said that the FDA’s goal was to ensure self-sufficiency in food production, food security and make the country a net exporter of agricultural produce. He added that the ministry would introduce appropriate incentives to ensure that the goals of the programmes were achieved.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians, especially youths, to embrace agriculture, saying, “With the revolutionary and practical programmes being put in place by the ministry, there is no better time to join the business of agriculture than now.”