The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, has solicited more funds to upscale investments in the agricultural sector.

A statement issued by the ministry’s spokesman Ezeaja Ikemefuna quoted the minister saying this at a virtual high-level panel discussion on Friday to round off activities to celebrate the 2021 World Food Day.

Mr Shehuri said, “There is a deliberate strategic approach to job creation, conserving foreign exchange and attaining national food security.”

The minister pointed out that the seed sub-sector supply chain was repositioned to ensure that farmers had access to quality seeds to improve yields.

“The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), under my watch, has been directed to interface with key seed industry stakeholders to ensure that Early Generation Seeds (EGS) are structured, to ensure uninterrupted supply of certified seeds,” he added. “There is also an ongoing awareness campaign by the council on the importance of using improved seeds to boost production.” 

According to him, Nigeria’s agriculture has done well “under this administration in areas such as, being the world-leading producer of yams with 18.3 million MT, world leader in the production of cassava that has steadily risen to 70 million MT.”

Similarly, he stated that the country also ranked second as a world producer of Sorghum, just after the United States of America, fifth as a global producer of palm oil and cocoa.

“Nigeria is a global player in agricultural export and in 2019 it recorded as follows: sesame seeds oil: N77.04 billion, cocoa: N66.73 billion, cashew nuts: N45.6 billion, frozen shrimps and prawns: N7.46 billion, ginger: N3.34 billion, processed and semi-processed agro-food: N1.84 billion and cotton: N609.33 million,” the minister further disclosed. 

(NAN)