Agricultural insurance crucial for food security — Minister
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has called for the creation of agricultural insurance and weather advisory desks at the community level to enhance adaptation and resilience to climate change among smallholder farmers.
The Assistant Director of Information, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, disclosed this in a statement released on Monday.
According to the minister, this initiative aims to promote a sustainable environment for agricultural investment, among other objectives.
The statement noted that the minister, represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Dr. Deola Lordbanjo, made the call during the Agricultural Insurance and Climate Advisory Round Table Meeting held recently in Abuja.
He pointed out that making weather advisory services available at the right time at the community 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.”
He revealed that “the Ministry is resolved to develop the agricultural sector towards achieving the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to zero hunger, and to improve sustainable agricultural practices.”
Kyari stressed that “agricultural investments must be protected and market-oriented for us to move away from the subsistence farming currently practised by our smallholder farmers.”
The minister lauded USAID for its tireless efforts in strengthening social stability through social services and promoting a more market-led economy that has enhanced Nigeria’s capacity as a responsible regional and trade partner.
In his remarks, the Director of Winrock International, Jean–Pierre Rousseau, stated that agricultural insurance and weather advisory services have tremendous potential to transform the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
He pledged that the United States Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future Programme would continue to support the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
In attendance were various stakeholders in the Agricultural Extension Services Sub-Sector, including USAID’s Feed the Future Programme, Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, and the Agricultural Development Programme, among others.
