5 agriculture initiatives by President's administration he wants you to know about

Perhaps, to ease the pressure of such questions, the presidency has detailed the president's initiatives in the agricultural sector since he assumed office in 2015.

In the Aso Rock Newsletter published by the Presidency Office of Digital Engagement (PODE) on Monday, April 23, the presidency listed five of the initiatives of Buhari's government that Nigerians should know about.

From the Anchor Borrowers Programme, to the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, and the much-publicised Food Security Council, here are the initiatives the presidency wants you to know about (replicated exactly in their own words):

1. Anchor Borrowers Programme:

The Anchor Borrowers' Programme (ABP), established by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) on November 17, 2015.

It is intended to create a linkage between anchor companies involved in the processing and small holder farmers (SHFs) of the required key agricultural commodities.

The ABP provides farm inputs in kind and cash (for farm labour) to small holder farmers to boost production of these commodities.

At harvest, the SHF supplies his/her produce to the Agro-processor (Anchor) who pays the cash equivalent to the farmer's account.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, February 2018: "Since commencement of the (Anchor Borrowers) Programme in November 2015, the CBN in partnership with state governments and several private sector groups, have disbursed a cumulative sum of N55.526 billion to over 250,000 farmers who cultivated almost 300,000 hectares of farmland for rice, wheat, maize, cotton, soybeans, cassava, etc.

"Two years into the implementation, the programme has contributed to the creation of an estimated 890,000 direct and 2.6 million indirect jobs."

2. Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI):

PFI was launched in December 2016 as the outcome of a partnership between the Governments of Nigeria and Morocco, and implemented as a Public-Private Partnership in Nigeria, led by the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN).

3. Youth Farm Lab:

The Youth Farm Lab is an Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with Synergos, to train Nigerian youths on livestock production and sustainable urban agriculture.

It seeks Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 years who are passionate about Agriculture and believe in its profitability potentials.

4. Presidential Economic Diversification Initiative (PEDI):

Launched in July 2017, the Presidential Economic Diversification Initiative (PEDI) supports the revival of moribund industries (especially in Agro-processing) by facilitating new investments, reducing regulatory bottlenecks and enabling access to credit. PEDI has made breakthroughs in the agribusiness sector in Imo and Ondo States.

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5. Food Security Council:

The Council, to be chaired by the President, was inaugurated on Monday, March 26, 2018.

It has as its members: Governors of Kebbi, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ebonyi and Delta States; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Chief of Staff to the President; National Security Adviser; Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development; Finance; Interior; Industry, Trade and Investment; Water Resources; Environment; and Budget and National Planning; Chief of Defence Staff; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Directors-General of the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The broad objectives of the Council include developing sustainable solutions to the farmers-herdsmen clashes; Climate Change and Desertification and their impact on farmland; grazing areas and lakes, rivers and other water bodies; oil spillage and its impact on Niger Delta Fishing Communities; piracy and banditry; agricultural research institutions and extension services and the problem of smuggling. The Council will also take interest in regional and global policies and trends that bear implications for food security in Nigeria.