Presidency Has Clear Direction On Food Production, Says Osinbajo

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has stated that the present administration's commitment to achieve self-sufficiency in food production and diversifying the nation's economy.

According to a statement from his media office in Abuja last night, the Vice President spoke at a meeting in his office with a delegation of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria and the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria.

The delegation were accompanied on the visit by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu.The Vice President praised rice and wheat farmers, saying "farmers are among the most important people in Nigeria today."

Osinbajo said by launching the CBN Anchor Borrowers Financing Initiative in Kebbi, and the dry season rice and wheat farming last year, what the President did was setting-off an agricultural revolution.

He added that the President's action also "showed he had a clear idea of how to execute a formidable agricultural policy."

Earlier, Governor Bagudu said Nigeria would be self-sufficient in rice production in two years and wheat within three years.

In their remarks, the heads of both associations expressed satisfaction with the support received by rice and wheat farmers from the Federal Government.

According to the President of Rice Farmers Association, Malam Aminu Goronyo, before the coming of the Buhari presidency, "farmers in Nigeria were considered useless people on the streets, but now farmers are kings."

As a proof, he said banks are now soliciting farmers to open accounts, even offering banking services on the farms. He added that people now also offer farmers credit lines for purchases. 

"We have not been having this kind of respect before, we have become kings today," Goronyo stated.

President of Wheat Farmers Association, Malam Saleh Mohammed, said many rice farmers were also wheat farmers, adding that the productivity level of both farmers had gone up.

Part of the Strategic Implementation Plan of the 2016 budget is the pursuit of measures to make the country self-sufficient and net exporter of certain agricultural items including rice in 2018 and wheat in 2019.