ibironkeeniola 
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has reiterated its commitment to equipping farmers with necessary agro-inputs through the government’s various windows of support.
Minister of State in the ministry, Mustapha Shehuri, disclosed this on Saturday during a visit to the Livestock House of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Kaduna, Kaduna State.
The minister explained that the visit was to ensure the staff and management teamwork in line with the government objectives of boosting the farmers’ capacity for food production.
Shehuri said the farming equipment being procured by the ministry would be sold to farmers at 50 per cent discount to improve their production in the face of the border closure.
“We will make sure the equipment goes to the people they are meant for because procurement of the equipment is an investment by the government to achieve its policy of diversification through the agricultural sector.
“With the border closure and diversification policy, we now produce the rice we consume, which is a positive result as against two to three years ago when we were importing 90 per cent of our rice.
“The border closure has now made rice farmers be smiling to the banks, it has created more jobs, not only on rice but also other commodities that we consume.”
Mr Owolabi Mathew, the North West Zonal Director of the ministry, described the minister’s visit as an indication that the capability of the staff of the ministry would be enhanced.
“The visit will help the minister forward our challenges in relation to farmers and suggest viable means of addressing them at the headquarters for the development of the agricultural sector,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).