Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Jul 10, 2013 22:54:16 GMT 1
WorldStage Newsonline-- Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has said that the country spends about 60 per cent of its total crude oil revenue on food importation.
Speaking at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Agriculture at the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, the Minister said the habit was unacceptable, adding that only 11 per cent of farmers were benefiting from farm inputs in the past, despite large sum spent by the Federal Government (FG).
Adesina urged the lawmakers to expedite actions on agriculture related bills pending before the House.
However, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal at the opening of the public hearing commended the Minister over the improvement in fertiliser distribution system to Nigerian farmers.
Tambuwal, who was represented by the deputy House leader, Hon. Leonard Ogor noted that the Growth Empowerment Support (GES) Scheme adopted by the minister was perhaps his major achievement in office.
"Let me also use this opportunity to say that the House appreciates the level of improvement in the distribution of fertiliser to farmers, which is one good achievement of the ministry of agriculture, compared to previous distribution system," Tambuwal said.
He further pledged commitment of the House to yearning of the people towards achieving food security.
While explaining the achievement of the GES Scheme within one year of its implementation, Adesina said population of farmers who benefits from subsidised fertilisers from the government increased from 11 per cent to 61 per cent.
The minister also said about N16 billion was spent on fertiliser distribution last year, out this amount, he said the farmers contributed N7.5 billion, the state governments supported with N3.8 billion while the federal government paid N5.2 billion directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the agro-dealers.
"I don't award fertiliser contract from the ministry and I will not, we saved N25 billion last year, 1.5 million farmers benefited and produced 8.1 metric tonnes of food, which is 70 per cent higher that before," he said.
Adesina noted that there was a major failure in the fertiliser and improved seeds distribution policy in the past, as only 11 per cent of Nigerian farmers benefit from the gesture.
This, according to the minister accounted for huge reduction in local food production and massive importation of food.
The minister stated that the GES scheme had sanitised the input distribution system, adding that government 61 per cent of farmers benefited from farm inputs subsidy in 2012 and that the number will increase to 90 per cent in coming years.
Source: www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstagenew/index.php?active=news&newscid=9326&catid=2
Speaking at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Agriculture at the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, the Minister said the habit was unacceptable, adding that only 11 per cent of farmers were benefiting from farm inputs in the past, despite large sum spent by the Federal Government (FG).
Adesina urged the lawmakers to expedite actions on agriculture related bills pending before the House.
However, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal at the opening of the public hearing commended the Minister over the improvement in fertiliser distribution system to Nigerian farmers.
Tambuwal, who was represented by the deputy House leader, Hon. Leonard Ogor noted that the Growth Empowerment Support (GES) Scheme adopted by the minister was perhaps his major achievement in office.
"Let me also use this opportunity to say that the House appreciates the level of improvement in the distribution of fertiliser to farmers, which is one good achievement of the ministry of agriculture, compared to previous distribution system," Tambuwal said.
He further pledged commitment of the House to yearning of the people towards achieving food security.
While explaining the achievement of the GES Scheme within one year of its implementation, Adesina said population of farmers who benefits from subsidised fertilisers from the government increased from 11 per cent to 61 per cent.
The minister also said about N16 billion was spent on fertiliser distribution last year, out this amount, he said the farmers contributed N7.5 billion, the state governments supported with N3.8 billion while the federal government paid N5.2 billion directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the agro-dealers.
"I don't award fertiliser contract from the ministry and I will not, we saved N25 billion last year, 1.5 million farmers benefited and produced 8.1 metric tonnes of food, which is 70 per cent higher that before," he said.
Adesina noted that there was a major failure in the fertiliser and improved seeds distribution policy in the past, as only 11 per cent of Nigerian farmers benefit from the gesture.
This, according to the minister accounted for huge reduction in local food production and massive importation of food.
The minister stated that the GES scheme had sanitised the input distribution system, adding that government 61 per cent of farmers benefited from farm inputs subsidy in 2012 and that the number will increase to 90 per cent in coming years.
Source: www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstagenew/index.php?active=news&newscid=9326&catid=2