Senate Passes 3 ‘Important’ Bills Seeking To Revitalize Agricultural Sector, Boost Local Agricultural Production
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed three bills seeking to significantly strengthen the nation’s food system and enhance local agricultural production.
The parliament had during a plenary session on Wednesday received committee reports on the three key bills in question which are aimed at boosting local production and reducing the country’s dependence on food imports.
Presenting the reports, Senator Saliu Mustapha, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, highlighted the far-reaching impact of the important bills.
The bills are the National Food Reserve Agency Bill and the Mandatory Cassava Inclusion in Flour Production Bill sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central, and the National Rice Council Board Bill sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central).
Senator Saliu Mustapha described the bills as critical interventions that align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that they are designed to enhance food security, create jobs in the agricultural sector, and strengthen the nation’s agricultural value chain.
Explaining the ‘intent’ behind each of the bills, the federal lawmaker said the National Food Reserve Agency Bill seeks to establish a coordinated national system for grain storage and market price stabilisation while the Cassava Inclusion Bill will mandate a minimum of 20 per cent cassava content in flour production, a move aimed at reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported wheat.
In the rice sector, Senator Mustapha emphasized the urgency of reforms, noting that Nigeria currently spends an estimated $2 billion annually on rice imports, the National Rice Council Board Bill is therefore designed to reverse this trend by improving coordination in rice production, processing, and distribution nationwide.
‘The goal is to build a complete agricultural value chain, from farm to reserve and from reserve to processing’ a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com quoted him as saying.
He added that the measures will enhance economic stability and promote national self-sufficiency.
The Senate subsequently passed the bills, which will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to the president for assent-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
