President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the introduction of the Anchor Borrowers Programme is to facilitate rice production and guaranteed food security.
Speaking at the 11th Agricultural Show and Exhibition to commemorate the 2019 World Food Day, Buhari said the programme, which was introduced in 2017, had created jobs for millions of Nigerians, particularly the youths and women as well as reducing poverty, importation and saving foreign exchange.
Represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, at the ceremony, Buhari said that efforts had been made to ensure supply of farm inputs to farmers to boost productivity and assured that the government would continue to make interventions to better the lives of farmers.
The government, he said, intended to ensure food sufficiency, enterprises promotion, productive empowerment and wealth creation.
“We will continue to address the challenges of our growing population and declining revenue by promoting agribusiness, aiding economic livelihood and attaining food security in the country.
“Mechanised agricultural programme is being promoted to operate machinery hiring enterprises scheme under private operators to facilitate the manufacturing of durable farm equipment that can withstand the various geographical terrain and climate of the country,” he said.
Buhari said concerted effort was required to ensure healthy food system, food security and nutrition.
“World Food Day is an annual event celebrated by all member nations of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to raise public awareness on the nature and dimension of global food challenges, malnutrition and poverty.
“Nigeria through the Ministry of Agriculture is annually celebrating the event and currently the agriculture exhibition in collaboration with FAO, the National Agricultural Foundation and other stakeholders.
The theme of this year’s world food day celebration, “Our Actions are our Future. Healthy Diets for A #ZeroHunger”.
MM/GIK/APA