World Food Day: Nigeria food reserve stock hit 109mt – Buhari

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the year 2021 World Food Day coming up on 16th October, President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that his administration has raised the nation’s national food reserve stock to 109,657 metric tons, and that this is expected to be further increased to 219,900 MT by the end of 2022.

This is even as he said his government has set aside N600 billion as loan support to farmers across the country under the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support project (APPEALS).

President Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mahmood Abubakar, at the 14th National Agricultural Show/Exhibition of the World Food Day held at Keffi road on Wednesday said Agriculture for Food and Job Plan (AFJP), a component of President Buhari’s Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) target five to ten Million jobs in the agricultural sector and provide zero interest loans to farmers to lift Nigerians out of poverty.

He explained that the first phase of the scheme has produced over 1.1 million beneficiaries across all states and the FCT.

”As a result of the Federal Government’s policy initiatives and innovative funding in the sector, significant progress has therefore been made to improve agricultural productivity since the inception of the present Administration. To boost food security, Nigeria has curbed imports and established a robust rice production programme to encourage more rice production at home.