The Federal Government has announced the end of the era of “briefcase farmers” benefitting from agricultural interventions, unveiling a sweeping reform agenda aimed at identifying and supporting only genuine farmers across the country.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, made this known on Wednesday in Kaduna during a technical session at the Government-Citizen Engagement Forum organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu, which inherited a food crisis, is deploying data-backed strategies to revive Nigeria’s agricultural sector, ramp up production, and eliminate elite capture of farming incentives.
“We are ensuring that only genuine farmers benefit from government programmes. No more briefcase farmers,” Abdullahi declared.
According to him, the state of emergency on food security declared by the Tinubu administration remains in force, with targeted efforts focused on increasing output, stabilising food prices, and distributing resources fairly.
“Our priority is simple: ramp up production, reduce food prices, and ensure equitable access to support. We met a food crisis and responded with data-backed, targeted actions,” he added.
As part of the Agro-Pocket initiative, Abdullahi revealed that over 133,000 hectares of wheat have been cultivated across 15 northern states—surpassing the original 130,000-hectare target. Jigawa State alone accounted for more than 50,000 hectares.
He also said the ministry has launched support for 44,500 rice farmers nationwide, alongside plans to upgrade Nigeria’s extension service system, which currently operates with an unsustainable farmer-to-extension-agent ratio of 25,000 to 1.
On agricultural mechanisation, the Minister noted that President Tinubu recently commissioned 2,000 Belarusian tractors and 9,000 farming implements to modernise agricultural practices and boost national productivity.
“These interventions are not cosmetic; they are deliberate efforts to make agriculture competitive and attractive again,” Abdullahi said.
He added that Special Agro-Processing Zones are being developed to enhance market access and value addition, giving farmers higher returns for their efforts.
Abdullahi also highlighted recent breakthroughs in research and innovation, with improved seed varieties of maize, rice, cassava, and tomato—resistant to pests and diseases like the notorious “tomato ebola”—being rolled out by government-backed research institutions.
In the livestock sub-sector, he said the government is prioritising sustainability through the creation of grazing reserves, livestock villages, and transit shelters. He also noted that a national dairy policy is in development.
He announced the completion of three major dam projects—Nwabi Yashin, Nwape, and Amla—unlocking over 2,700 hectares for irrigation. Plans are underway to concession mini-hydro dams to provide off-grid electricity for farming communities.
“This is not just a response to immediate food needs—we are laying the groundwork for long-term resilience,” he said. “We’re reclaiming university farmlands, training youths and women, and reforming governance structures in the sector.”
The Minister called on stakeholders, particularly in the North, to support the reform drive by challenging individuals who sabotage interventions or manipulate the system to marginalise genuine farmers.
“We must call out and discredit those who shortchange the system. The time to act is now,” Abdullahi said.
