The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has launched an agricultural value chain project aimed at boosting agricultural production towards achieving food security in the country.
The project, termed Value Chain North Project Design Mission, is jointly initiated by the ministry and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
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The project, to be executed in seven Northern states, is to benefit 456,000 farmers.
The Director Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Bukar Musa, said during the project in Maiduguri on Thursday that it would explore all avenues of boosting the agricultural value chain to ensure food security enhanced economy.
“The project will target increased food production as well as improve livelihood of the citizens,” he said.
According to him, “It would ensure we address food insecurity, enhance security of locals, create job opportunity, employment for our teeming youths and ultimately address all of crimes and criminality in our society.”
He said that stakeholders in agricultural production are expected to bring forward their input to enrich the plan in order to get sustainable project.
The Borno State Commissioner for Agriculture, Bawu Musami represented by the Programme Manager, State Agricultural Development Project, Darman Mohammed, explained that the new project execution would include the distribution of free seeds to farmers, processors and marketers aimed at initiating value addition for agriculture farm produce.
“With this project, We expect the strategic grain reserve to be resuscitated because at the peak of harvest period, farmers experience fall in prices,” Mohammed observed.
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He further said that with the strategic reserves farmers can keep their produce to the time they are guaranteed high profit.
