16th Agric Show: Stakeholders call FG on pressing challenges"

Stakeholders at the recently concluded 2024 National Agricultural Show have urged the Federal Government ( FG) to immediately address the numerous challenges confronting the sector.

These challenges include high input costs, unabated inflation, insecurity and high transportation expenses which they described as severely impacting negatively on agricultural productivity and food security.

The stakeholders comprising leaders of farmers' associations, heads of agricultural agencies, and research institutes, representatives from local and state governments, leaders of commodity associations and other private sector members who emphasized the need for urgent government intervention to ensure food security.

Arch. Kabir Ibrahim, President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate more commitment to Agriculture noting that the sector is capable of generating $4.5 billion even as he suggested the physical presence of the number citizen as an incentive to farmers' morale.

Ibrahim pointed out that the insecurity and food inflation were seriously undermining the effort of farmers in Nigeria just as he commended the FG's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Brazilian Government.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, represented by Barrister Abubakar Madaki, appealed for the FG's elevation of the Agric show ground with more facilities.

Representing the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Tanimu Ibrahim, assured attendees that the government is already addressing critical challenges being faced by farmers, saying that the ongoing initiatives to boost grain supply and input support for small holder farmers were evident to attain food security.

The 16th edition, National Agricultural Show provides a platform for stakeholders to network, collaborate, and share knowledge on best practices in agriculture.

The event aims to foster a more productive and sustainable agricultural sector in Nigeria.