The Federal Government has announced sweeping agricultural reforms aimed at ending hunger, boosting food production, and cutting post-harvest losses estimated at over $10 billion annually, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for food security and national prosperity.
The reforms were detailed in a joint statement on Thursday by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and the Minister of State, Senator Sabi Abdullahi.
Kyari described agriculture as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and the foundation of national renewal. “Agriculture remains the single largest employer of labour in Nigeria and contributes more than one-quarter of our GDP. Beyond these figures lies a deeper truth: agriculture is the measure of our nation’s resilience and the foundation of our collective renewal,” he said.
He explained that the government’s strategy targets three key goals — ending hunger, ensuring food sufficiency, and drastically reducing post-harvest losses. “Together, these reforms will build a connected post-harvest system aimed at cutting losses valued at over $10 billion annually while improving food quality, farmer incomes, and price stability,” he added.
Kyari reaffirmed President Tinubu’s directive to modernise agricultural production: “Our farmers must transition from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters. Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability.”
Key initiatives already underway include the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket, the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, and the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST) — a “legacy project” to strengthen storage and supply chains from the community level upwards.
The government has also activated operations at National Strategic Grain Reserve Silos in Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Osun, Edo, and Kwara states to bolster food reserves and stabilise prices.
Kyari revealed that President Tinubu has approved the ₦1.5 trillion recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture and a ₦250 billion financing window for smallholder farmers. He also confirmed that the National Agricultural Development Fund is now fully operational to expand agribusiness financing.
He noted progress in rainfed wheat cultivation in Plateau, Taraba, and Cross River states, following innovations by the Lake Chad Research Institute, which have opened new frontiers for all-year wheat farming and self-sufficiency.
Senator Abdullahi, for his part, said the administration’s food security drive would be anchored on climate-smart and inclusive agricultural practices. He highlighted efforts to develop climate-resilient crops, promote integrated pest and soil management, and expand irrigation and dry-season farming.
He listed flagship initiatives such as the Dry Season Initiative covering 500,000 hectares, the Every Home a Garden Initiative by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme, which provides fertiliser tailored to crop and location needs.
“Our broader goal is to reduce import dependence, strengthen market confidence, and revive agribusiness to position Nigeria as a leading food supplier in West Africa,” Abdullahi stated.
The announcement comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to modernise farming, expand mechanisation, and convert idle institutional lands into food production hubs, following the state of emergency declared on food security earlier this year.
