The federal government yesterday said it would intensify the distribution of agricultural inputs and implements to all farmers within the next couple of months.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, also said the exercise codenamed, “Operation Empty the Store,” would further enhance the capacity of farmers to boost food production across the country.
Ogunbiyi spoke at the opening of a one-day workshop with the theme, “Building Strong Partnership with the Media for Food Security,” organised for agriculture correspondents in Abuja.
He said, “It may interest you that the ministry will soon be distributing agricultural inputs and implements to all stakeholders, and arrangements are on and within the next couple of months, this will be done.
“And of course, immediately I resumed duties, I made a pronouncement that we will be embarking on operation Empty the Store.
“It means that all the equipment and inputs that we have in the store are not meant for the stores, they are meant for the farms.
“And therefore, we will embark on emptying all our stores nationwide such that equipment and inputs will be useful to our farmers.”
The permanent secretary noted that the planned distribution was part the ministry’s robust and impressive programmes designed to make agriculture the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, thereby improving the living standard of Nigerians.
However, he said the workshop represented a critical step towards fostering a deeper understanding of the ministry’s activities, programmes and projects among agriculture correspondents for proper reportage.
Ogunbiyi, further stated that the ministry recognises the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in achieving its lofty objectives.
The workshop provided an update on the ministry’s activities, programmes and projects as well as addressed recent developments in the sector.
He said, “It is essential for us to let Nigerians and indeed the world know the efforts being made to achieve food and nutrition sufficiency thereby, stem hunger, starvation and malnutrition in our country.
“I want to assure you that the ministry will continue to partner with you to carry the message of the present administration on food security to educate and sensitise our farmers, agricultural stakeholders, and indeed the public.”
