Vice-President Kashim Shettima announced that the federal government is set to introduce the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM) in June.
Gatekeepers News reports that this initiative aims to enhance agricultural productivity, stabilise food prices, and promote economic growth.
Shettima made these remarks during a meeting of the presidential food systems coordinating unit (PFSCU) steering committee, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
As outlined in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications, the new policy is designed to streamline agricultural efforts across various levels of government by utilising real-time data analytics.
“The Green Imperative Project (GIP) is an idea whose time has come. It has been in the incubation period for several years, and now it is coming to fruition; we have to get it right,” the vice-president said.
“We have had many interventions in this country in the past. We must make this work, and it’s the states that will drive the process.”
He said the initiative is part of wider efforts to transform agriculture through data-based policies and public-private partnerships.
Shettima noted that Nigeria and Brazil signed the commercial phase of the $1.1 billion green imperative project (GIP) to modernise 774 mid-sized farms using Brazilian technology, create jobs, and increase production.
The vice-president also said President Bola Tinubu has approved N15 billion for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prepare for possible flooding during the rainy season.
“This is one of the first proactive decisions by the government to prepare for the flooding season,” he noted.
Marion Moon, technical assistant to Tinubu on agriculture, said the NAPM is expected to tackle rising food prices and address low crop yields, which are about 60 percent below global standards.
Moon, who is also the executive secretary of the PFSCU, said a pilot survey has been completed across 13 states, and the policy will be launched fully in June 2025.
Nkwocha said the policy mechanism, supported by data partnerships and a digital platform currently being developed, will also target wasteful subsidies and outdated practices, providing a national guide to improve spending and boost rural development.
He said those present at the meeting included Umar Namadi, governor of Jigawa; Biodun Oyebanji, governor of Ekiti; Umar Kadafur, deputy governor of Borno; and Patricia Obila, deputy governor of Ebonyi.
Also present were Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security; Aliyu Abdullahi, minister of state for agriculture and food security; the permanent secretary of the finance ministry; and representatives from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, as well as international development partners.
