The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has said that the federal government was committed to a strong collaboration with the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited (NAFARL), towards achieving food security and boosting Agribusiness Development in Nigeria.

The minister disclosed this when a delegation of the Nigerian Army Farms led by the executive director, Brigadier – Gen. Maina Kadai, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja, recently.

Nanono noted that a strong collaboration with the agency would reinforce the ministry’s drive of achieving sustained food sufficiency for the nation as they jointly agreed to embark on same policy of mechanisation, research /development of improved seeds, the training of extension services workers across the country and food processing.

The minister explained the role of the research institutes in ensuring improved seedlings which will result in bumper harvest, adding that it would also increase agricultural products, create jobs and boost agribusiness development in the nation.

He stated that the mechanisation programme would commence before the end of the year in 634 local government areas in Nigeria and will be private sector driven.

The minister expressed satisfaction with NAFARL’s acceptance to key into the Ministry’s programme especially mechanisation and extension services.

According to him, the Army has proven that it is not only involved in protecting the territorial integrity of the country and fighting wars to secure its citizens but also active in the area of food security as it finds time to invest in the agricultural policies that is geared towards feeding the nation, creating jobs and enhancing the nation’s economy by generating revenue.

In his remarks, the executive director, Nigeria Army Farms and Ranches Limited, Brig. Gen. Maina Kadai said, “NAFARL’s current structure is designed to broaden its scope and mandate to cover ranching and agriculture to support the federal government’s policy on food security as well as generate revenue for the Nigerian Army (NA), feed the entire Army Corps and contribute to the national GDP.”

While displaying a range of farm products from their farms including rice and some processed products such as bean and cassava flour among others, Brig. Gen. Kadai promised that NAFARL will join hands with the Ministry to embark on massive commercial farming that will not only feed the Army and other armed forces but feed the nation and export products to feed Africa and the world so as to boost the nations revenue base.