FG Forms Technical Team to Speed Up Crop and Livestock Production

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has set up a technical committee to accelerate staple crop production and livestock development across Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen food security.

The committee was established on Tuesday during a meeting on agricultural performance and government interventions at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. It will coordinate the implementation of programmes targeting wheat and other crops, alongside livestock development.

The team includes representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources and Sanitation, Livestock Development, and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated. It will be coordinated by Marion Moon, Technical Adviser to the Vice-President on Agriculture and head of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit.

Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari said the committee would identify challenges facing farmers and develop practical measures to address them. He also stressed the need for cooperation among federal, state and local governments to support year-round farming, influence food prices and reduce the risk of famine.

Moon said better coordination among the three tiers of government was necessary to align agricultural priorities with developments at the state and local levels.

The committee's recommendations will be reviewed before being submitted to the Vice-President and subsequently to President Bola Tinubu.