- He announced the initiative during the launch of the 2024 Global Food Policy Report
The Nigerian Federal Government has unveiled a plan to bolster the National Strategic Food Reserve System, aiming to address food insecurity and stabilize food prices nationwide.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, announced the initiative during the launch of the 2024 Global Food Policy Report, themed “Improving Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition in Nigeria.”
The event was organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.
Addressing the gathering in Abuja, Abdullahi emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing food production, particularly for staples like rice, maize, and cassava. He highlighted that the production is not only for local consumption but also for the broader West African region.
“The idea of the National Strategic Food Reserve is for us to be able to keep stock so that when prices of food are getting high, we release from the stock to stabilize the price,” Abdullahi explained.
The minister acknowledged setbacks caused by the 2021 floods but assured that efforts are underway to restock the reserves starting with this year’s harvest. The government is also distributing fertilizers and agrochemicals to farmers to boost production.
Abdullahi urged Nigerians to support these initiatives, noting, “We are working very hard to ensure that when the time comes, we can get more food into our reserves because that will help us stabilize the production.”
He concluded by calling on all Nigerians to collaborate in tackling the food insecurity challenge and acknowledged the nation’s role in feeding the West African region, evidenced by the significant amount of food exported across border markets.