The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the procurement of 2,000 tractors, 4,000 disc ploughs, and 1,200 tractor trailers among other agricultural equipment under the National Agricultural Mechanization Programme (NAMP) to promote food security in Nigeria.
This announcement was made on Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy through his X handle, following the FEC meeting in Abuja. Onanuga, the Special Adviser, stated that the equipment will be supplied by DMCC, a firm experienced in similar projects across several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa, and Togo.
The firm will also set up assembly plants for the machinery in Nigeria, enhancing local production capabilities.
The FEC’s approval comes in response to the growing food security crisis in Nigeria, where food inflation stands at 40.5%.
The recent confirmation from the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, highlighted additional measures including the suspension of import duties on certain food items for 150 days, and the importation of 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and maize to replenish the strategic grain reserve.
The government aims to engage stakeholders to establish a Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) for commodities and promote the production of fortified food commodities, particularly among smallholder farmers in the 2024/2025 farming season.
These steps are crucial as projections indicate that approximately 31 million Nigerians could face severe food shortages by August, underscoring the need for urgent and strategic interventions.
