The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has highlighted food security as a crucial component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda. He made this statement during a courtesy visit by the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to his office in Abuja on October 4th, 2023.

“One of the key priority areas for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is food security, which he declared an emergency from day one, because it is the only way to curb food importation and strengthen our economy” he said, noting that the Republic of Belarus has technology and expertise in agriculture that Nigeria can tap from.

Nigeria, he said, wants to avoid food imports by enhancing its ability to produce adequate food for its citizens. With the availability of arable land, human resources, and a large market, what is lacking is technology and the necessary investment in the value chain.

The Minister assured the Ambassador that Nigeria is ready to partner in that regard.

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“I am happy that you are already partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture so that our two countries can work together to boost food production,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus, His Excellency Vyacheslav Bril, said that the Republic of Belarus is export-oriented and strong in agriculture. For example, the Republic of Belarus is responsible for almost 30% of fertilizer production, which is very important for food security in the world. His country, he said, has had long and fruitful relations with Nigeria since 1992.

“We can support Nigeria with farm inputs, food processing plants, storage facilities, and different kinds of equipment,” he added.

Belarus is strong in terms of mechanization of agriculture, and the Belarusian tractors are well-known for their durability around the world