The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieve food and nutrition security through its agriculture mechanisation programmes.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja, at the 2024 World Agritourism Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Agritourism is a short form of agricultural tourism.
It refers to a form of tourism that involves visitors participating in or experiencing various aspects of agricultural activities.
Abdullahi said the theme of the event “Food Security for All” was in consonant with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency on food security.
He said that food security was the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
The minister said that the ministry was working with relevant stakeholders to support private business development, because agriculture should be treated as a business.”
“I want to assure you that we are aware of the role of technology and we are doing all we can to make sure that we improve the availability of technology to improve food production.
“We have an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with John Deere Group so that we will have access to tractors over the next five years,” he said.
He also said the ministry’s Green Imperative Programme which targets agricultural supply of tractors to support mechanisation.
Earlier, President, World Agritourism Organisation (WAO), Amb. Trust Ogboi, said the enormous value in agritourism would generate huge foreign exchange to the Nigeria economy and beyond national boundary.
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Ogboi said that the Organisation was working with the ministry of agriculture to establish Nigerian Agritourism Village in the 36 States of the country and FCT to ensure food security, job creation and attract investment.
Similarly, Prof. Garba Sharubutu, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), said that food security and the industrialisation of the economy was at the center of Tinubu’s administration. (NAN)
