The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, expressed deep concern on Monday, highlighting the lack of accurate data for farmers as a pivotal issue adversely affecting agricultural programs in Nigeria.
During his presentation to the National Assembly joint committee on Agriculture, the Minister underscored that the primary hurdle faced by the ministry is the absence of clean data for farmers. He also emphasized that corruption within the sector significantly undermines food security in the country.
Senator Abubakar Kyari Minister For Agriculture and Food security Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara central and serving as the chairman of the Senate committee on Agriculture, echoed the Minister’s concerns. He acknowledged the Ministry’s underfunding and pledged the National Assembly’s support to help meet the aspirations of Nigerians in the agricultural sector.
Senator Salih Mustapha Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture Earlier, the Ministry proposed a total budget of N362.940 billion for the fiscal year 2024. Of this amount, N124.1 billion is allocated to the Ministry, comprising N10.6 billion for personnel costs, N1.34 billion for overhead expenses, and N112.497 billion for capital expenditure.
