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The Federal Government has declared that food prices nationwide will soon crash, owing to its commitment to ensuring food security through the adoption of new farming techniques in Nigeria.
The government has acknowledged the ongoing food crisis in Nigeria, as revealed at the 48th Annual Conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria in Abuja.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, stated that the government is fully aware of the current food crisis in the country.
Abdullahi said the government is exploring various strategies to ensure food security, including ramping up food production by transitioning Nigeria to a sustainable food production system with year-round farming.
The minister acknowledged the current food challenge in Nigeria, stating that the government was aware of the situation and was taking steps to address it.
He said they were planning for the next dry season, aiming to make it a success through increased production.
The minister highlighted the recent drop in Irish potato prices as an example of the government's efforts to boost food availability and affordability.
He further said the government was working to provide support to farmers by adding value to their production and reducing food service losses.
The minister also acknowledged that the lean period, when food is less available, poses a challenge for the country.
He stated that the ministry was committed to promoting the Nigerian farmer's soil healthcare scheme as a key priority and significant intervention for sustainable agriculture, with plans to establish the scheme in all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
The minister highlighted that the soil healthcare scheme aimed to improve soil health and fertility, increase agricultural productivity and resilience, enhance food security and nutrition, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration, improve livelihoods and income for small-scale farmers, and better adapt to and mitigate climate change.
He also mentioned that the scheme would involve soil testing laboratories planned for all local governments and states.
The minister emphasised the need for strong collaboration and synergy to support the success of this initiative and create a resilient food system that benefits everyone.
The President of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, Prof Jibrin Jibrin, stated that the conference theme, 'Soil Health and Climate-Smart Agriculture for Resilient Food Security System', was appropriate given the reality of climate change.
He noted that due to population growth, the soil is currently being degraded.
Jibrin emphasized that to reverse this trend, the soil must be preserved to boost crop yield in the country.
He further explained that the soil is a living entity, and if it is allowed to be destroyed, the nation will be destroyed.
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