The Federal Government has said that the recent declines recorded in the prices of key food commodities across the country are the result of targeted market interventions and sustained investment in agricultural production, processing, and post-harvest systems.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, stated this at the opening of the 47th National Council on Agriculture and Food Security held in Kaduna on Thursday.

The council, Nigeria’s highest policy decision-making platform for the agriculture sector, convened federal and state officials, private sector representatives, and development partners to review progress and align strategies for national food security.

Kyari said the government’s ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are driven by a commitment to achieve food sovereignty, ensuring that Nigeria produces what it consumes, while guaranteeing affordability and access for households.

“As we continue along this path, we are already beginning to witness a decline in food prices across several commodities, a reflection of ongoing targeted market interventions. While we are not yet where we want to be, this positive trend confirms that we are moving in the right direction,” Kyari said.

The Minister highlighted the strengthening of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), implemented with support from the African Development Bank and state governments, to expand access to quality agro-inputs for farmers.

This, he noted, has contributed to increased wheat production in both irrigated and newly introduced rainfed farming zones in states including Plateau, Taraba and Cross River.

He also announced that operations at national strategic grain reserves in Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Osun, Edo, and Kwara States are being scaled up to stabilise supplies and cushion temporary market shortages.

“To strengthen national food security and stabilise prices, we are enhancing efficiency across national silo operations to ensure timely interventions,” he said.

A flagship post-harvest initiative, the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST), was also unveiled, designed to tackle post-harvest losses valued at over $10 billion annually through improved storage, aggregation and cold chain infrastructure.

Kyari announced that the Bank of Agriculture has been approved for N1.5 trillion recapitalisation and an additional N250 billion financing window for smallholder farmers.

In partnership with Heifer Nigeria, a national agricultural mechanisation programme has been launched to support youth- and women-led mechanisation service centres in all six geopolitical zones.

“Mechanisation will become a national service that modernises production, raises yields, and creates sustainable rural employment,” the Minister noted.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, emphasised the adoption of climate-smart agriculture to achieve long-term productivity.

“We must adopt climate-smart practices that increase crop yields while building resilience,” Abdullahi said, pointing to investments in drought-tolerant crop varieties, integrated pest management, and the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme, which tailors fertiliser use to specific soil conditions.

He highlighted flagship initiatives, including the 500,000-hectare Dry Season Farming Scheme, renewable energy-powered water projects for irrigation, and household food production through the Every Home a Garden initiative championed by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The ministers noted that Nigeria holds the largest agricultural production potential in West Africa and is strategically positioned to become a leading food supplier to the region.

“Our broader goals are to reduce import dependence, strengthen market confidence, and revive agribusiness. Nigeria has a unique opportunity to drive food security not just nationally, but across West Africa,” Abdullahi stated.

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