Nigeria imports at least 60 per cent of dairy products the country consumes, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, has said. Mr Nanono disclosed this when speaking at the National Dairy Policy Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja on Tuesday. He said, “Despite the potentials in the dairy industry, 60 per cent of dairy products consumed in the country is imported while the remaining 40 per cent is produced locally.” The minister said Nigeria’s per capita consumption of milk is 8 litres per year, representing very low consumption levels when compared with the global average of 44 litres of milk, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). According to him, presently, the Nigerian dairy industry is largely subsistence and consists of lo...
The Federal Government is set to inject over N600 billion as stimulus response into the agriculture sector. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, made this known in a statement signed by the Director of Information of the ministry, Mr Theodore Ogaziechi, on Sunday in Abuja. The minister according to the statement, made this known while on a tour of Dangote Fertiliser Plant and other fertiliser companies in Lagos State. Nanono said the stimulus package would target small scale farmers, to ensure food security and sustainability. He explained that the package would target farmers nationwide and expected to begin with an initial 2.4 million farmers. He noted that to avoid the abuse of government funds and good intentions, the support would be in form of inputs and no...
President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Nigerian farmers to increase their food production as Nigeria has ‘no money’ for food importation. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria has restricted food importation as the country strived to produce a lot of the food it consumes. The country also shut its borders with neighbouring countries, largely to prevent the importation and smuggling of items such as rice, poultry and petrol. The borders are still shut but were also closed to human traffic following the coronavirus pandemic, although smuggling and other illegal activities still go on with the connivance of corrupt security officials. Buhari gave his advice to the farmers while addressing journalists after observing this year’s ‘Eid’ prayer at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Sunda...