FG Launches Dry Season Farming in Cross River

In a bid to address the rising hunger crisis in Nigeria, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has officially launched the inaugural National Dry Season Farming initiative in Cross River State. This initiative, aimed at enhancing food production and ensuring food security, is part of the federal government’s strategy to combat hunger and improve the country’s agricultural output.

Kyari highlighted that the government is leveraging a $134 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to enhance farmers’ capacity, particularly in the production of staple crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cassava. The funds will support both dry and wet season farming, helping to boost the availability of essential food items.

During the flag-off ceremony, Kyari noted that this event marked the commencement of the 2024/25 dry season farming and the first-ever wheat cultivation under the National Agricultural Growth Support Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project in the state. He referenced President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a food production emergency, aimed at ensuring all Nigerians have access to affordable and nutritious food.

Kyari further emphasized that the National Dry Season Farming initiative has been reintroduced to promote year-round agricultural production, contributing to the country’s national food and nutrition security. Under the NAGS-AP initiative, the government is providing support to 107,429 wheat farmers in phase one of the 2023/2024 dry season. In addition, 43,997 rice farmers are benefiting from the second phase of the initiative, while 192,095 farmers involved in the production of rice, maize, sorghum, millet, soybean, and cassava are supported under the 2024 wet season.

The minister noted that the programme has significantly increased food production in the country, helping to narrow the food supply gap. As part of the NAGS-AP initiative, the government has introduced an ICT-based platform for the delivery of agricultural inputs, making it easier for farmers to access affordable, high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and other essential resources for continuous, year-round farming.