The Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has disclosed that the NAGS-AP (Nigeria Agriculture Growth Scheme-Agricultural Productivity) program, besides providing farmers with essential farm inputs for priority crop production, will also offer institutional support to improve performance and sustainability, particularly in wheat seed local production.
Addressing stakeholders during a preparatory meeting in Nasarawa, the Minister emphasized the importance of collectively evaluating the wheat production program’s implementation efforts to address identified shortcomings effectively and prevent their recurrence.
“This retreat holds significant importance as it underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering agricultural growth,” the Minister remarked.
While acknowledging some level of success in the ongoing implementation of the 2023/2024 Dry Season Wheat Production, the Minister highlighted the need to address observed lapses and infractions by all involved parties.
“We are not adhering to business as usual. Instead, we are adopting an unconventional approach,” the Minister stated. “We have implemented a comprehensive oversight system to identify and address malpractices at every level. Our goal is to ensure robust and sustainable production of staple food commodities.”
Looking ahead, the Minister emphasized the importance of laying the groundwork for the second phase of the NAGS-AP dry season farming support provision, focusing on evaluating the wheat production phase while planning for future agricultural initiatives.
Furthermore, the Minister urged input distributors and agro-dealers to only sell certified and approved products sourced from registered input producers. He also advised farmers to use and apply all provided inputs according to the best agronomic practices for optimal productivity.
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