Nigeria will soon overcome food inflation and shortages, says FG

The Federal Government has expressed optimism that Nigeria will soon overcome its current food shortage and high inflation, which has reached 40 percent according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, shared this during an interview on Channels Television’s *Sunday Politics*. Kyari assured that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has implemented measures to tackle food inflation and boost food production, anticipating a bumper harvest by the end of the year.

Kyari noted that several factors have contributed to the current food shortage, including seasonal changes, reduced agricultural land, flooding, and other issues.

“We expect the bumper harvest around October-November this year,” Kyari said. “This is the critical lean season between June and July before the next harvest. Despite challenges, we anticipate a significant harvest, barring any natural disasters.”

He cited additional factors like a shrinking agricultural landmass, flooding, habitation issues, and an ageing farming population, with fewer young people entering the agriculture sector.

The minister also highlighted the federal government’s efforts to promote mechanized farming, including distributing fertilizers to farmers and acquiring tractors. “We have ordered 200 tractors and 9,000 other implements from Belarus,” Kyari mentioned. “The basic farming tool in Nigeria is still the hoe, which is outdated. That’s why we’re focusing on mechanization.”