Food prices will decrease soon, FG declares

The Federal Government announced on Tuesday that food prices nationwide are expected to decrease soon, driven by its commitment to ensuring food security through innovative farming techniques in Nigeria. This declaration was made in Abuja during the 48th Annual Conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria.

Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, addressed attendees, acknowledging the current food crisis in Nigeria."We are implementing comprehensive measures to enhance food availability throughout the country," the minister assured. Abdullahi highlighted efforts to explore various strategies aimed at achieving food security, emphasizing a shift towards sustainable year-round farming practices to boost production.

"We are fully cognizant of the current food challenges in Nigeria, and we are determined to reverse this trend," the minister stated, underscoring plans to maximize dry-season farming following lessons learned from previous seasons. He encouraged farmers with access to water resources to capitalize on dry-season opportunities.

Abdullahi noted recent successes in food availability, such as the significant drop in Irish potato prices from N180,000 to N45,000 per unit due to increased production during the wet season in Plateau State. He expressed optimism in replicating such achievements in the coming years.

The minister also emphasized government efforts to support farmers by enhancing the value of their produce to minimize post-harvest losses while ensuring food accessibility. He highlighted the upcoming implementation of the Nigerian Farmer's Soil Healthcare Scheme across all 774 Local Government Areas, aimed at improving soil health, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience.

Meanwhile, Prof. Jibrin Jibrin, President of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, underscored the conference theme, 'Soil Health and Climate-Smart Agriculture for Resilient Food Security System,' emphasizing the importance of preserving soil health amidst climate change challenges. He stressed the necessity of scientific soil management to sustain crop yields and national food security.

In conclusion, both government and agricultural stakeholders called for collaborative efforts to support these initiatives, aiming to build a robust and resilient food system beneficial to all Nigerians.

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