The Federal Government has established a joint Agriculture and Water Resources Action Committee to leverage the resources of both ministries in tackling the challenges of food security and inflation.
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, announced this at the National Youth Convention on Thursday in Abuja.
The Nigerian Women organized the convention for the Agricultural Progressive and Development Initiative.
Abdullahi stated that the initiative aims to advance President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda.
He noted that the ministry has initiated dry-season farming, emphasising that Nigeria cannot rely solely on the six-month rainy season to feed its population of over 200 million people.
According to him, the partnership is designed to promote year-round farming.
He highlighted that the country is blessed with abundant water resources and numerous river-basin development authorities, which should be utilised to ensure food security and self-sufficiency.
“We have approved the Agriculture and Water Resources Joint Action Committee, which will focus on food security to enable us to undertake dry-season farming in most of the river basins. Our plan is to see how both ministries can collaborate with the River Basin Development Authorities, integrating agricultural experts to enhance farmer livelihoods, increase production, and incentivize youth and private sector participation.
“The Ministry of Water Resources brings valuable assets, including water resources, land, and technical expertise, to the partnership. Together, we aim to synergize our efforts to provide seeds, inputs, and farm machinery essential for food production.
“Currently, we are working with all the farmers in those areas and are also working to remove the obstacles that prevent farmers from utilizing the opportunities in those regions. This will enable us to maximize the benefits of these God-given resources,” he said.
The minister acknowledged recent flooding in some states and identified it as a challenge related to climate change.
He noted that the ministry’s response is to ensure the continuation of dry-season farming, as it allows better control over water usage, planting, and crop management.
The minister also mentioned that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on the future, with a particular emphasis on the younger generation.
