By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari has refuted allegation by the National Assembly North East North Caucus that the ministry has excluded the zone from benefiting from the ongoing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Program, saying that all segments of the country are being carried along in the design and implementation of government programmes.
He explained that the program being done in phases is based on states’ expression of interest and meeting eligibility criteria, and that already three North East states of Gombe Borno and Bauchi States have qualified for first tranche of the phase 2 of the program.
Kyari, while speaking in press conference on Saturday, expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to the North East and other parts of the country.
He urged other states yet to be captured for the SAPZ Program should express their interest and endeavour to meet up with the eligibility criteria.
“Our attention has been drawn to concerns that the North – East was excluded completely from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program of the Federal Government. Considering the basic fact that this concern is coming from members of the National Assembly Caucus of the North-East, it becomes very imperative that we set the record straight because they got it all wrong.
“The Phase 2 of the Program had already commenced in earnest. I have personally communicated to all the states that are not in phase 1 in writing notifying them of the program and to express interest.
“Consequently, we have received Expression of Interests from 27 States but only 10 States fully complied with the eligibility criteria which includes three States from the North-East namely Gombe Borno and Bauchi States for the first tranche of phase 2 as there will be 3 tranches of onboarding states in the phase 2.
“So, the sweeping statement by the Caucus that “the North East was completely excluded” is not correct. We are also confident that more States will do the needful to fulfill the eligibility criteria to enable us capture them in the second tranche funding of Phase 2.
“I therefore also want to appeal to the legislators especially the North East NASS Caucus to appeal to the other Governors of the North East namely Taraba, Yobe and Adamawa to reinvigorate their interest in the Program and to ensure they fulfil the eligibility criteria for the second phase.”he said
Stressing that the program is planned for all states in the country, the Minister emphasized that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on the need for inclusivity.
He said through the SAPZ Program, the Federal Government has continued to provide targeted support for farmers in the North-East and across the country.
Highlighting the support, he said “Some recent examples include the following: In Gombe State, over 8,000 wheat farmers have benefited from subsidised inputs to boost dry-season production.
“In Bauchi State, we are working with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) on the Irrigate Nigeria project, which aims to develop over 3 million hectares for sustainable, year-round irrigation farming.
“In Adamawa State, we recently commissioned 120 housing units and a Farmer Empowerment Centre, a major step toward restoring livelihoods and improving living conditions for smallholder farmers.”
According to him, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project — launched in collaboration with the World Bank — is restoring degraded lands and enhancing climate resilience in Northern Nigeria, including the North-East.
“The project aims to restore 1 million hectares by 2028 and significantly improve watershed management. Gombe State has already committed counterpart funding toward ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture practices.
“As part of our drive toward green innovation, the deployment of electric vehicles and solar-powered infrastructure has commenced in the North-East to modernize transportation and reduce carbon emissions, while creating new economic opportunities.
The Minister revealed some of the upcoming projects that will also benefit the north east zone.
“The introduction of the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme is also underway. This initiative provides farmers with tailored information on soil conditions and appropriate fertilizer use. Soil testing laboratories are being established nationwide, including in North-East states, to boost crop yields and promote sustainable farming.
“An up-coming project to boost food security that is targeted at 456,000 farmers beneficiaries co-financed by IFAD is currently being established known as VALUE-CHAIN – NORTH PROJECT with the North East States being major target beneficiaries.
“These are not symbolic projects; they are deliberate, results-oriented interventions designed to build a more resilient, productive, and inclusive agricultural economy.” he noted.
He assured the good people of the North-East, and indeed all Nigerians, that the government is unwavering in its commitment to equitable agricultural transformation in the country.
“From the plains of the North-East to the riverine belts of the South-South, and from the cocoa-rich soils of the South-West to the food baskets of the North-Central, our agenda is one of shared prosperity, food security, and national development as envisioned by the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We will continue to listen; and we’ve heard the statements of the representatives of the North East and we assure you all that the SAPZ Program is for all Nigerians and each and every State of the Federation will be brought on board.
“Indeed, the Green Imperative Project (GIP) which was recently signed by this administration is another landmark program that will deliver services to all States of the Federation with planned Agricultural Mechanization Service Centres across the 774 Local Government areas.” he added.
