By Atoyebi Nike
The Federal Government is working to expand Nigeria’s Strategic Food Reserve to stabilize food prices, support farmers and strengthen year-round food production. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Abubakar Kyari disclosed this during a facility tour in Kaduna, held alongside the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security meeting.
Kyari said the government plans to stockpile food strategically to give farmers financial liquidity and enable all-season farming, especially during the dry season. He acknowledged farmers’ concerns about rising input costs despite falling food prices and assured them that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is addressing the issue to balance consumer welfare and farmer earnings.
The minister expressed satisfaction with ongoing food production and processing efforts, noting that many farmers and processors have responded positively to the government’s food security agenda. Facilities visited include Olam Agri, TMDK Agro Park, DEBRANCH Farmers, Afriexim Bank’s quality assurance office and Tomato Jos.
At Tomato Jos, CEO Mira Mehta said the company is focused on producing high-quality tomato paste from locally grown tomatoes to reduce import dependence and provide a stable market for smallholder farmers. She said the company works with more than 350 farmers and operates one of Nigeria’s largest tomato processing plants.
Mehta listed major industry challenges such as market access, importation of foreign tomato paste, policy gaps, input costs and tomato pests like Tuta Absoluta. She urged the government to strengthen rapid-response measures against the disease and called for partnerships to help absorb local produce and encourage local consumption.
