The Minister of State for Agriculture, Aliyu Abdullahi, has reassured Nigerians that the country is not at risk of food scarcity, despite growing concerns in certain quarters.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, Abdullahi addressed fears over food security, asserting that Nigeria remains secure in its food supply.
He emphasized that President Bola Tinubu is fully aware of the critical importance of food security, which led to his declaration of a state of emergency just two months after taking office.
“Let me react to the headline I saw you talking about, risk of food scarcity. Nigeria is not at risk of food scarcity; it has not been and will never be by the grace of God,” Abdullahi said, urging calm among Nigerians.
He further explained that food scarcity refers to the unavailability of food, which, he said, the country has not experienced.
The Minister pointed to various economic factors that impact food availability, including macro-economic challenges, but insisted that food security in the country is not under threat.
He highlighted the strategic efforts by both the Federal Government and individual states to ensure a stable food supply, including the management of food silos by the Federal Government and the use of buffer stock strategies in several states.
Abdullahi also addressed the narrative that Nigeria is not food-sufficient. He noted that as long as food items are available in markets across the country, there should be no cause for concern.
He specifically mentioned the country’s progress in rice production, revealing that Nigeria has made significant strides in meeting its demand for rice, although consumer preferences still lean towards imported rice.
“We have gone really far in meeting demand for rice production in this country. The local rice we produce is sufficient, what has happened is our taste buds have a preference for imported ones,” he said.
The Minister also reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to tackling food inflation, which has been a growing concern in recent times.
Abdullahi assured the public that the administration is focused on stabilizing food prices, aiming to ensure that every Nigerian can access a wide variety of affordable food.
Abdullahi expressed confidence that Nigeria will continue to progress toward greater food security and that the government’s ongoing efforts will mitigate any challenges in the food sector.
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