FG Records Major Gains in Agriculture, Food Prices Drop by 50% — Kyari
Nigeria has recorded significant progress in agricultural transformation and food security under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement forum on Agricultural and Food Systems Transformation, Senator Kyari said the Federal Government’s interventions over the past three years, particularly in the last two years, have begun yielding positive results across the country.
The minister disclosed that prices of major food commodities have dropped by as much as 50 percent nationwide, reversing the sharp increases previously experienced.
“Since assuming office, this administration has made food security a top priority. Our efforts are starting to pay off, with a notable impact on food prices,” Kyari stated.
He explained that the Ministry has focused on strengthening strategic agricultural value chains including rice, maize, wheat, millet, sorghum, yam, cocoa, cassava, soybeans, cotton, and oil palm, creating opportunities for millions of smallholder farmers.
According to the minister, interventions carried out in 2024 and 2025 included the distribution of improved seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, pest management packs, and safety kits, alongside extensive farmer training programmes aimed at transitioning farmers from subsistence farming to agribusiness.
A 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey conducted by National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services in collaboration with the Ministry reportedly confirmed increased production levels in rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam, and cassava compared to 2024.
Kyari revealed that the government distributed over 1.9 million bags of fertilizers to nearly one million farmers nationwide.
He added that the Ministry promoted organic fertilizer usage through the distribution of 12,000 litres of organic products, while also training 109 fertilizer inspectors and over 329 industry stakeholders on regulatory compliance.
To improve quality control and eliminate fake fertilizers, the government established a National Reference Laboratory and upgraded the National Fertilizer Management Platform. More than 3,500 farmers were also trained on sustainable soil management practices.
The minister highlighted investments in rural infrastructure, including the construction of about 170 kilometres of asphalt roads and 57 kilometres of earth roads, as well as the installation of 296 motorized and solar-powered boreholes with water treatment systems.
Additional projects included the installation of 3,596 solar street lights and the construction of 69 rural housing and market facilities.
Kyari further announced that the Federal Government launched the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanization Programme in 2025 with the deployment of 2,000 tractors and other farming equipment.
He said 10 large-scale integrated processing plants and seven composite flour milling factories were established across the six geopolitical zones, while agribusiness incubation centres were created at Federal University Lokoja and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture.
The minister also noted that the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones initiative, supported by the African Development Bank, achieved early successes, including the profiling of 7,398 farmers and improved rice yields averaging five metric tons per hectare.
Under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme – Agro-Pocket, over 647,500 farmers were registered, while 622,818 benefited from subsidized agricultural inputs, contributing to a 30 percent increase in crop production in participating states.
Kyari disclosed that the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation provided ₦700 billion risk cover for 199,275 farmers, while the Bank of Agriculture received a ₦250 billion facility to provide single-digit interest loans to farmers.
The minister said the government also strengthened cooperatives, supported flood-affected farmers, promoted climate-smart agriculture for women and youths, and adopted the First Lady’s “Every Home a Garden” initiative to boost household food production.
He stressed the importance of continued collaboration with sister ministries and stakeholders, expressing confidence that sustained innovation and investment would further strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector and ensure lasting food security.
FG Records Major Gains in Agriculture, Food Prices Drop by 50% — Kyari