The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has said the prices of some essential food commodities have fallen by as much as 50 per cent across Nigeria.
Kyari disclosed this on Monday in Maiduguri, Borno State, while declaring open a Community of Practice Meeting for Commissioners of Agriculture, Health, Environment and Rural Development.
The meeting was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the Borno State Government, with support from the German government.
It was held under the theme, “Stronger Partnerships for a Food Secure Nigeria.”
Addressing participants at the meeting, Kyari said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration had placed food security at the centre of its national development agenda.
He said the Federal Government’s responsibility was to translate the policy direction into increased agricultural production, affordable food, stronger rural economies and a more resilient food system.
According to the minister, the government’s interventions in agriculture have contributed to a reduction in the prices of some essential food commodities, alongside increased distribution of agricultural inputs, investment in rural infrastructure and support for smallholder farmers.
“Our responsibility is to translate that mandate into increased production, greater affordability, stronger rural economies and a more resilient food system,” Kyari said.
“We have seen the reduction of up to 50 per cent in prices of some essential food commodities, alongside expanded input delivery, investment in rural infrastructure and support to smallholder farmers.”
Kyari maintained that food prices had dropped significantly compared with their levels before 2023, urging Nigerians to consider the changes in the prices of major food commodities when assessing the impact of government policies.
He specifically referenced the prices of rice and maize, asking participants to compare their prices in 2023 with current prices.
“Let’s be honest, how much was a bag of rice and maize in 2023, and how much is it now? What is the percentage? Let us not play politics with these things,” he said.
The minister, however, acknowledged the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural sector and stressed the importance of sustained collaboration among federal and state governments, development partners and other stakeholders.
He said the meeting would also consider the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Declaration and its Strategy and Action Plan for 2026–2035.
Kyari explained that the Kampala framework adopts a broad agrifood systems approach, covering sustainable agricultural production, investment and financing, food and nutrition security, trade, inclusion, resilience and improved governance.
He noted that decisions taken in Nigeria’s agricultural sector would have implications beyond the country because of Nigeria’s size and its role in regional food markets.
“For a country of Nigeria’s scale, the choices we make in agriculture have consequences beyond our borders, for regional markets, Africa’s wider agrifood transformation and Nigeria’s place in the global food economy,” he said.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria had developed and validated a 10-year National Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan to domesticate and implement the commitments contained in the Kampala framework.
According to him, the Community of Practice meeting provides an important platform for translating those commitments into concrete action at the state level.
He urged the participating states to focus on implementation and ensure that their agricultural development plans were aligned with national priorities and the Kampala commitments.
Kyari identified rural infrastructure, agricultural extension services, access to credit and quality inputs, labour-saving technologies, reduction of post-harvest losses and climate-resilient agriculture as some of the areas requiring greater attention.
“I therefore urge our deliberations here in Borno to focus firmly on implementation. States should leave this meeting clearer on how their action plans will advance the Kampala commitments and align with national priorities,” he said.
The minister said stronger coordination between the federal and state governments would be essential to achieving sustainable food security and improving the livelihoods of farmers and other participants in the agricultural value chain.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Nigeria, Dr Karin Jansen, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s agricultural development.
Jansen said Germany would continue to support the country by strengthening agricultural policy processes, scaling up successful interventions and promoting greater participation by civil society organisations.
She said German Development Cooperation was supporting Nigerian partners through the Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies project, known as AgSys.
“Through the Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies project – AgSys, German Development Cooperation supports Nigerian partners in strengthening agricultural policy processes, scaling successful approaches and strengthening civil society participation,” she said.
Jansen said the objective was to strengthen existing institutions and help translate national commitments into practical interventions that would benefit Nigerians.
“Our aim is simple: to strengthen existing structures and help turn national commitments into action where it matters most,” she said.
She added that the success of the Kampala Agenda should ultimately be judged by the quality of policies implemented, the strength of institutions, the effectiveness of investments and tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
The meeting in Maiduguri brought together key stakeholders in agriculture and related sectors as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and coordinate strategies for achieving food security in Nigeria.
Kyari said sustained investment, effective implementation and stronger partnerships would remain critical to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector and ensuring that increased food production translates into greater affordability and improved livelihoods for Nigerians.
If you want, I can also make this more analytical and investigative, particularly by contrasting the minister’s claim of a 50% food-price reduction with the cost-of-living experience of ordinary Nigerians.
