A pressure group, The Independent Media and Policy Initiative, has said President Bola Tinubu’s plans for cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land across the country will help tackle rising cost of food.

The group’s Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, said this at a news conference in Abuja.

He said that the president’s plan was in collaboration with state governments as part of effort to stem inflation and ensure food security in the country.
“As part of our evaluation of the nation’s economy under the present administration, we reviewed the national inflation rate, especially the food inflation. The latest of which the National Bureau of Statistics reported to be at 33.93 per cent for December 2023.
“This rate should naturally exert concerns, however, our findings have shown a commitment by the President to stemming the tide of rising food prices.
“And ensuring food security by approving the accelerated cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land across the country in collaboration with state governments.
“This, in itself, is a commendable model of cooperation between the Federal Government and the sub-nationals,” he said.
Mr Akisinju expressed optimism that in a short while, Nigerians would start receiving the products of the federal and sub-national governments working together.
He added that to crystallise the policy, the administration had introduced an irrigation programme to facilitate and guarantee all-year round farming.
He added that the group’s investigation within the general purview of agriculture also showed the deployment of several policies, including waivers on the importation of tractors and farm implements.
He said the launch of dry season farming in Jigawa and the allocation of N102 billion to the National Agricultural Development Fund was also a government initiative to ensure food security in the country.
“It is our view that these measures will guarantee adequate food supply in the shortest possible time,” Mr Akisinju said.
He said that work was ongoing simultaneously on the Kaduna to Kano and the Kano to Maradi rail projects.
This, he said, was indicative of a developing scenario of a truly intermodal transportation system as required in any country with a claim to driving growth and development.
He commended the Tinubu’s administration for the approval of N50 billion for the establishment of the Pulaaku initiative which is a non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity.
He added that the initiative emphasises the provision of social amenities such as schools, hospitals, housing and sanitary facilities in the seven pilot states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Benue, Katsina and Niger.
“This is our view. It is a creative and pragmatic intervention that will most likely change the narratives around insecurity in the country,” he said.

(NAN)