The Federal Government has announced plans to assist 600,000 small-scale farmers across the country as part of efforts to boost food production and address rising inflation.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this at the Nigerian delegation’s press briefing during the 2024 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC.
This was according to a statement from the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga, Edun stated that the government is focused on gathering the wet season harvest while providing support to ensure a productive dry season.
According to the Minister, with food accounting for 50 per cent of the Consumer Price Index, increasing agricultural output is key to bringing down inflation.
Edun is quoted as saying, “One of the key things that we are focusing on at this particular time is ensuring that we dutifully collect the wet season harvest, which is underway at the moment.
“In addition, we have diligently identified the small-scale farmers to ensure we have a good dry season harvest, which will lead to increased outs of food, increased availability, and increased affordability.”
