What we’re doing to boost agricultural productivity – Nanono
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, yesterday listed various steps that the ministry under his supervision is taking to enhance agricultural productivity across the country, in order to deliver greater value for the nation’s teeming populace.
Receiving the CEO/Editorin-Chief of Media Trust Limited, Malam Mannir DanAli who led a delegation from the company to his office in Abuja, Nanono listed some of the measures that the ministry is putting in place to include enhancement of agricultural quarantine services, boosting extension services, and establishment settlements.
According to the minister, “the quarantine will help to overcome some of our problems such as adulteration of certain produce over which we have economies of scale advantage over several of our neighbouring countries”, stressing that such quarantine services would help to ensure standardardisation, thereby readying various produce from local farms for exports.
“We are thinking of having a Quarantine in Dawanau International Grains Market, one of the biggest grain markets recognised worldwide because about 75 per cent of our commodities for exports pass through that market”, Nanono said. of herders’
On the plan to establish herders’ settlements in order to settle the herdsmen in particular locations, he said such measure will not only eliminate herders/farmers clashes, but would also help to improve the nation’s economy, “because if you put together the cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and pigs in this country, the value is over N33 trillion”. He disclosed that he recently paid working visits to Bauchi and Gombe states as part of efforts to establish the herders’ settlements.
Reinforcing his recent statement about the existence of eateries where a meal can be bought for N30, the minister listed a number of delicacies that are packed for such amount in some parts of
Kano. He said he learnt that following that N30-meal public statement he made which generated controversies, a couple set up an eatery in a certain part of Kano city where it is selling a delicacy for the same amount and is making brisk business out it.
Responding to a request by the Daily Trust CEO for him to serve as Special Guest of Honour at the 3rd National Agriculture Conference and Exhibition being organised by the company, which is scheduled to hold in Lagos on the 26th and 27th of November, 2019, the minister assured that the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development will have “an effective representation at the event”.
The Daily Trust CEO had briefed the minister on the company’s objective for institutionalising the annual agriculture conference, stressing that this year’s edition of the event with the theme “Repositioning Rice, Sugar and Dairy for Optimum Yield”, is intended to galvanise critical stakeholders along the three value chains towards enhancing productivity.
He listed stakeholders expected to participate to include 10 state governments in the forefront of agricultural production; the Central Bank of Nigeria, in view of its interventions in the rice value chain; all the commercial banks; agro-allied companies; farmers and their various associations; among others.