Minister inaugurates agric policy working group

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the working group, made up of 14 professors and a doctor, was constituted to fashion out and document appropriate policies that will effectively drive the country’s agricultural transformation programmes. The group, he also said, will also carry out impact assessment of various agricultural […]

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the working group, made up of 14 professors and a doctor, was constituted to fashion out and document appropriate policies that will effectively drive the country’s agricultural transformation programmes.
The group, he also said, will also carry out impact assessment of various agricultural policies of the government as part of its terms of reference.
He said to practice agriculture as business and build more on the achievements already recorded under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, so as to ensure food and nutrition security, good agricultural policies must be put in place.
The minister pointed out that “Nigeria faces huge challenge of malnutrition especially in the north-east”, saying that the ATA must also include nutrition issues so as to fortify our food with vitamins and other vital nutrients.  
The minister who noted that there was a decline in Nigeria’s food import bill of N6.9 billion in 2009 to N4.2 billion in 2013, maintained that the agricultural value chains have recorded a lot of successes.
Dr. Adesina said Nigeria will become a rice exporter in the next four years, adding that an output of one million metric tonnes of fish is being targeted within the next four years as well.
On 20% cassava flour inclusion in bread by bakers, the minister maintained that over 35 bakeries across the country have complied. “Every bag of flour you see in Nigeria contains cassava flour,” the minister added.
The minister, however, lamented poor agricultural funding and low access to agricultural finance in the country, and called for more commitment of resources to the agriculture sector by all stakeholders.
Responding on behalf of the policy working group members, the chairman of the group, Prof. Olu Ajakaiye, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to serve the country, adding that they will do their best.