19/07/2011 (The Nation Newspaper) - The Federal Government spent over N99 trillion on food importation between 2007 and 2010, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Developments,Dr.Akinwumi Adesina, said yesterday.

He said the government last year imported wheat worth N635 billion, spent N356 billion on importation of rice, N217 billion on sugar and N97 billion on fish.

Dr. Adesina disclosed this at his inaugural meeting with officials of the ministry in Abuja.

The minister, who condemned the importations however, pledged to integrate farming in the country by implementing required reforms and transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to develop the agricultural sector.

His words: "Nigeria is now one of the largest food importers in the world. The food import bill of Nigeria in 2007 – 2010 was N98trillion or $628 billion. In 2010 alone, Nigeria spent N635billion on import of wheat, N356billion on importation of rice (that means we spend N1billion per day on rice alone), N217billion on sugar imports and with all the marine resources, rivers, lakes and creeks we are blessed with, Nigeria spends N97billion importing fish.

"I will never let Nigerian down. As minister of Agriculture working closely with the minister of state, we will never let the farmers of Nigeria down. We will revamp the agricultural sector. We will accelerate food production in clear and visible ways that will impact the lives of our people and we will begin the hard work of restoring the lost glory of agriculture in Nigeria."

The minister regretted the position of agriculture in the country, stressing that Nigeria, which used to be the major player in agriculture world over has lost its place in the global community.

He said Nigeria was a major contributor of cocoa, palm oil, groundnut, groundnut oil and other major cash crops before it diverted to the oil sector.

"In the 1960s, we had glory. That glory was visible for all to see. Nigeria accounted for 60 per cent of the global supply of palm oil, 30 per cent of groundnut, 20 - 30 per cent of groundnut oil and 15 per cent supply of cocoa. Our farmers, from the north to south generated wealth,"Adesina noted.

While citing rice farmers as example, the Minister said dependence on food importation in the country undermines domestic productions as well as create fiscal challenges for the economy.　

"There is a problem: fiscally this is not sustainable. Nigeria is eating beyond its means. While we smile as we eat rice everyday, Nigerian rice farmers cry as the imports undermine domestic production.

"This must stop. We must accelerate domestic rice production and improve on processing to meet quality standards. We must tap into all the resources of our farmers across our nation and deliver a green revolution for rice that will make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production," he added.

Dr. Adesina declared that the days of referring to agriculture as a development programme or social sector were over, noting that agriculture is a business and must be structured, developed, resourced and financed as such.

"The days of treating agriculture as a development in Nigeria are now over. We will develop and transform the sector as a business that works for small farmers, medium and large scale farmers that will unlock wealth and allow Nigeria to meet its food needs, while becoming a major player in global food markets, to help diversify income for the nations".