Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, has said the government is working with customs and other agencies to stop the smuggling of food out of Nigeria.
NAN reports Abubakar as stating this in Ibadan during his working visit to the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan.
He said the country has food security hence the need to curtail smuggling of food out of Nigeria, so that there would be no food shortage.
“One of the things we are doing is dry season farming, which is beginning next month and we will intensify that.
“And also make sure that all the agencies that we are working with, custom for example, make sure they do not allow smuggling of food out of this country because what we don’t want is to have a shortage of food.
“We have no shortage of food right now, I am telling you categorically and we will make sure that there will be no shortage,” Abubakar said.
He said so much has been done by the Buhari led administration, rejigging the agricultural sector and now it is contributing significantly to the GDP of the country.
The minister who expressed delight in the activities of NIHORT on its mandate said “Agriculture today is all about research, innovation and science.
“In agriculture as a whole, we are talking about practicing smart agriculture, technology based, digital agriculture.
“And all the research institutes have so much to offer, especially NIHORT. I am impressed with the array of products that I am seeing that this institute is producing.
“And even just now I saw an orange tree that will produce three different oranges on one tree, this is amazing, incredible. I am happy I get to come.”
He assured that the government would continue to increase the capacity of the research institutes.
“We just got a waiver to employ more researchers, developers and people of science origin that would help boost research and development,” the minister said.
In his remarks, Dr Muhammed Attanda, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, NIHORT Ibadan, on behalf of the institute appreciated the minister for his unprecedented support and kind considerations that have enabled the institute to run smoothly and make faster progress.
Attanda highlighted some of the notable feats recorded to include, approval granted for the provision of a dedicated electricity line to the Institute.
“Over the years, inadequate supply of electricity has affected our operations adversely, for instance we recorded losses of large amounts of genetic materials that were vital to our research activities during the days of erratic power supply.
“Your efforts that led to the facilitation of the Presidential waiver that made it possible for the institute to recruit essential personnel to boost its manpower.
“We particularly appreciate this because the institute has not been able to do this in the last seven years.
“We are also grateful for the opportunity provided for the institute to attend the genetic capacity building and management of gene bank,” he said.
Also, Alhaji Salihu Imam, One of the Agriculture Development Project beneficiaries and farmers representative in Oyo State lauded the lofty contribution of NIHORT to agricultural practices in Nigeria.
He noted that the institute has been the only one that gives farmers free fields; 20 to 40 hectares to plant their mandate crops.
