FG unveils five-year strategy to boost agric productivity

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has unveiled a five-year strategy aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s agricultural sector through four key pillars.

The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said the strategy was developed following extensive consultations with stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

He said the four pillars include the financing of agricultural inputs, implementation and mechanisation, infrastructure (such as irrigation, and storage facilities) and responding to emergency situations such as disease and pest attacks on crops.

Ibrahim explained that the first pillar aims to improve farmers’ access to essential inputs such as seeds and fertilisers.

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“Given the pressing food security challenges in the country, our immediate focus is on ramping up primary production to ensure food security,” he said.

He said the second pillar targets the provision of modern agricultural equipment to promote mechanisation.

The third pillar, according to Ibrahim, addresses the agricultural infrastructure gap, prioritising irrigation facilities and storage solutions.

He highlighted the importance of irrigation, saying, “Dry season farming provides higher yields and better control over farming conditions.”

Ibrahim said the final pillar is dedicated to managing agricultural emergencies, such as pest outbreaks and crop diseases.

He cited a recent example of ginger blight in Kaduna State which wiped out 75% of ginger production in the area.

“We aim to adopt a data-driven, methodical approach to financing in the agricultural sector, ensuring our interventions are impactful and sustainable,” he said.