Some agriculture experts have reiterated the need for the incoming minister, Abubakar Kyari, to collaborate with major stakeholders for the sector’s growth and food security.

The experts made the calls in separate interviews on Friday in Lagos.

President Bola Tinubu recently released the portfolios for the 45 confirmed ministerial nominees.

The nominee for the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security is Borno State-born Abubakar Kyari.

Akin Alabi, a youth agripreneur, called on the incoming minister to collaborate with stakeholders in implementing and driving policies for the sector.

“The minister needs to have stakeholders’ engagement to fully understand the agricultural ecosystem beyond farming.

“It is important that the minister works together with stakeholders and be open to feedback so we do not continue with the trial and error of past administrations on food security,’’ Mr Alabi said.

The chairman of the Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), Sunday Onoja, said agriculture and marine/blue economy ministers must put the frontiers of food sustainability in their tenures.

“We expect the ministers to do better than they met on ground and carry stakeholders and farmers along in their policy-making and decisions.

“We are the stakeholders and need to walk hand in hand with them to make their tenures successful.

“This will, in turn, make Nigeria food sufficient, create jobs and bring about a positive turnaround in the aquaculture and other agriculture sectors,” Mr Onoja said.

In addition, Godwin Egbebe, national publicity secretary of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), called for collaboration with the various agriculture associations, so people at the grassroots could be reached easily.

“Presently, to ensure food security in Nigeria, we need agriculture technocrats at the helm of affairs. We expect the minister to know and understand the pains of farmers to advance the sector.

“We call on the new minister of agriculture to work in collaboration with the farmers and stakeholders in the implementation of policies.

“We want the minister to reach out to the various agriculture associations and local governments to drive policies to the grassroots,” Mr Egbebe said. 

(NAN)