FOOD SECURITY: FG SECURES $134M LOAN FACILITY FROM AFDB-MINISTER.

The Federal Government has secured a $134 million loan facility from the African Development Bank to boost seeds and grain production in Nigeria. 

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who announced this at the unveiling of the 2024/2025 National Dry Season Farming in Calabar, explained that the loan will support farmers under the National Agricultural Growth Support Scheme-Agro Pocket Project.

Kyari also announced the government’s plans to support 250,000 wheat farmers across wheat-producing states with subsidized agricultural inputs during this year’s dry season farming, to cultivate 250,000 hectares of land, with an expected output of 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat, adding that 150,000 rice farmers will be supported in the second phase, targeting an output of 450,000 metric tonnes.

The government has also commenced the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at subsidized rates of N40,000 per 50-kilogramme bag. 

Furthermore, the ministry has disbursed N1.6 billion to support ginger farmers affected by ginger blight disease in Kaduna and Plateau States, and released 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities for distribution to affected areas.