In order to promote food security in Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has recently approved the acquisition of various agricultural equipment under the National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme (NAMP). This includes 2,000 tractors, 4,000 disc ploughs, and 1,200 tractor trailers, among other equipment.
In a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, the outcomes of the FEC meeting in Abuja were outlined. It was announced that the equipment will be provided by DMCC firm, which is also considering establishing assembly plants for some of the equipment within the country.
He mentioned the procurement of 2000 tractors, 4000 disc ploughs, 1000 disc ridges, 1200 tractor trailers, and various spare parts. The items to be supplied are intended for the National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme (NAMP), which aims to enhance national food security.
“In the second stage of the contract, Astride DMCC, which has previously completed similar projects in Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa, and Togo, will provide all of the necessary equipment and establish a plant to assemble the machinery.”
Furthermore, the federal government announced that it will convene stakeholders to secure a Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) for commodities, increase production, particularly among smallholder farmers, during the 2024/2025 agricultural season, and encourage the production of fortified food commodities, among other initiatives.
Nigeria is currently experiencing a food security crisis, with food inflation at 40.5 percent. Households are struggling to provide for their families throughout the nation. This development is occurring at the same time.
Furthermore, the cost of staple foods, particularly cereals, has increased by more than 100 percent in the past year.
The federal government recently announced its intention to distribute ₦50,000 to 100,000 households across the 36 states of the country for a period of three months and to purchase food items valued at ₦155bn for distribution throughout the country.
