Until new crops emerge, food challenges will remain, says Agric Minister

Aliyu Abdullah, Minister of State for Agriculture, recently addressed the persistent high food prices, explaining that relief will come once the current rainy season’s crops mature. In an exclusive interview with Channels, he noted, “Agriculture has a time frame. Current crop production won’t translate to food for another three months, so high prices will persist until then.”

The Federal Government is implementing various measures to ensure food security and lower costs. “We’re running programs to boost farmers’ productivity by alleviating farming hardships,” Abdullah stated. He emphasized the importance of targeting staple crops like rice, maize, millet, sorghum, cassava, and soybean during the rainy season. He also acknowledged the need to take dry-season farming more seriously, as relying solely on rain-fed agriculture isn’t sufficient for food security.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows a sharp rise in food prices, with food inflation hitting 40.87 percent in June 2024. The prices of staples like garri, bread, and yam have soared significantly.

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To mitigate the looming food crisis, the government plans to implement a duty-free food import policy during this lean period. “We are considering food imports to bridge the gap until the new harvest. Guidelines for this policy are being developed,” Abdullah revealed. Additionally, the government is working on a price control mechanism to prevent food prices from escalating further. “We aim to introduce measures to stabilize prices and prevent starvation during this critical period,” he added.