Minister - Agricultural insurance crucial for food security

Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has advocated for the establishment of weather advisory desks and agricultural insurance at the local level to help smallholder farmers become more resilient and adapt to climate change.

This was revealed in a statement issued on Monday by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the Assistant Director of Information.

Among other things, the minister said, this effort seeks to create a sustainable climate for agricultural investment.

According to the statement, the minister made the request at the Agricultural Insurance and Climate Advisory Round Table Meeting that was recently held in Abuja. He was represented by Dr. Deola Lordbanjo, Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services.

He emphasised the importance of providing timely weather advisory services at the local level would reduce the effects of climate change on the agricultural ecosystem and boost production.

Kyari stated, “The importance of insurance cover for farmers cannot be overemphasised, as this can help to protect investments, increase productivity, and improve the livelihoods of farmers, which will in turn aid the country in achieving its food security objectives.”

He noted that “there is also a growing frequency and severity of floods, droughts, and other environmental disasters arising from climate change. Farmers are particularly vulnerable to these disasters, which set them back each time they occur by wiping out their investments.”
"The Ministry is committed to advancing the agricultural sector in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those pertaining to zero hunger and to enhance sustainable agricultural practices," he disclosed.

Kyari emphasised that in order for us to abandon the subsistence farming that our smallholder farmers currently engage in, "agricultural investments must be protected and market-oriented."

The minister praised USAID for its unwavering work in fostering a more market-led economy and bolstering social stability through social services, both of which have improved Nigeria's ability to be a responsible trading and regional partner.

"Agricultural insurance and weather advisory services have tremendous potential to transform the agricultural sector in Nigeria," said Jean-Pierre Rousseau, Director of Winrock International.

He promised that the Feed the Future Program of the US Agency for International Development would keep helping Nigeria's agriculture industry.

A number of partners from the Agricultural Extension Services Sub-Sector were present, including the Agricultural Development Program, Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, and USAID's Feed the Future Program.