The Federal Government has announced plans to promote all-year-round farming as part of efforts to boost food production across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing to mark the 2025 World Food Day, themed “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future.”
Abdullahi said the 2025 Wet Season Agricultural Performance Survey indicated steady growth in Nigeria’s agricultural output, particularly in rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam, and cassava production.
He noted that all the crops recorded higher yields compared to 2024, attributing the improvement to expansion in cultivated areas, adoption of improved farming practices, and the resilience of farmers across key producing states.
“These gains have strengthened food security and sustained agro-industrial value chains,” the minister said.
He added that the Federal Government had launched a Dry Season Initiative to ensure year-round farming on 500,000 hectares of land.
“The first phase focused on wheat production in 15 wheat-producing states, while the second phase covers rice, maize, and cassava,” Abdullahi explained.
He also said the government was scaling up industrial transformation in the agricultural sector through the rollout of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other development partners.
According to him, the first phase of the five-year SAPZ programme covers Kaduna, Cross River, Kano, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Implementation began in Kaduna and Cross River states in April 2025.
Abdullahi said the programme aims to boost agricultural output by over 60 per cent, cut post-harvest losses by 80 per cent, promote value addition, create jobs, and improve market access.
“Through the SAPZ project, Nigeria aims to accelerate its shift towards an agro-industrial economy and support broader national diversification efforts,” he stated.
The minister further announced that the government had unveiled a plan to strengthen the National Strategic Food Reserve to ensure adequate stockpiling of essential commodities.
“This measure will help prevent crises arising from acute food shortages and reduce dependence on imports,” he said.
He added that the strategic food reserve would help stabilize food prices, ensure steady supply of essential commodities, and protect both consumers and farmers from extreme market fluctuations.
In his remarks, the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr. Idi Maiha, said the establishment of the Livestock Ministry was aimed at transforming the sub-sector into a modern, economically viable industry.
“We are here to synergize and partner with the Ministry of Agriculture because our efforts are complementary,” Maiha said.
At the event, farm inputs such as sprayers, organic fertilizers, and water pumps were distributed to women farmers’ organizations, young farmers’ clubs, and farmers’ cooperatives to enhance productivity.
