4 weeks ago
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Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, has revealed that approximately 30 million hectares of Nigerian arable land remain unused.
This statement was made on Friday during a courtesy visit from the National President of the National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria to the Minister’s office in Abuja ahead of a one-day roundtable to be held in Abuja.
According to Abdullahi, “Nigeria has about 73 million hectares of arable land, of which we are currently utilising only about 41 to 43 million. This means we are having close to half of our arable land not being farmed.”
He said this underutilisation poses serious implications for food security, especially as the country faces rising food prices and seasonal shortages.
The minister emphasised the urgency of addressing these issues, particularly in light of the upcoming dry seasons.
“Let us not allow the issue of tomatoes to be used by some to turn us into hungry people. The round table has to happen quickly because the dry season is just around the corner and what happens during the dry season doesn’t just stay with the dry season; rather, it gets carried far and beyond into the lean period,” he stated.
The forthcoming one-day round table, aimed at enhancing tomato productivity and reducing post-harvest losses, will involve key stakeholders from various agricultural sectors.
The minister commended the visit from NATPAN, calling it “apt, timely, and productive.”
In light of the recent surge in tomato prices attributed to scarcity, NATPAN President Abdullahi Ringim urged the Ministry to address the non-implementation of existing tomato policies.
“The non-enforcement of the policy on tomato levy has rendered comatose the envisaged availability of the requisite fund for the development of the tomato sector,” he said, highlighting the detrimental effects of pests and rising transportation costs.
In 2017, the Federal Executive Council approved several measures to bolster local tomato processing and attract investments, including a ban on the importation of tomato paste and increased tariffs on tomato concentrate.
Ringim stressed the need for full implementation of these policies to protect local investors and enhance the sector’s economic potential.
