Nigeria’s Vice President Shettima Launches Agricultural Empowerment Initiative

News in Brief: - Kashim Shettima's Foundation launched an Agricultural Empowerment Programme in Kaduna, Nigeria, to bolster food security. - The initiative will provide farmers with essential supplies (tractors, seeds, fertilisers) and financial aid (stipends, startup capital) for the 2024 farming season. In a bid to bolster food security and agricultural mechanisation, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Kashim Shettima Foundation's Agricultural Empowerment Programme. During the launch of the project, the VP acknowledged the nation's farming population. He reiterated the Tinubu administration's commitment to implementing initiatives that unlock Nigeria's agricultural potential while equipping farmers with the necessary resources to thrive. He and other diginitaries were on hand to oversee the distribution of ractors, seeds, fertilisers, and other crucial farming supplies to beneficiary farmers for the 2024 planting season. Shettima said that this was just the pilot with many others planned by the foundation across the country. [caption id="attachment_7910" align="aligncenter" width="1530"] Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Kashim Shettima Foundation's Agriculture Empowerment Programme. Image Source: Twitter.[/caption] Besides the input supply, the beneficiaries will also receive technical guidance and training on best agricultural practices to enhance yields. Also, the scheme has a financial aid vehicle that provides farmers with a monthly stipend of ₦100,000 for four months, followed by potential startup funds (₦30 million) for establishing cooperatives. The initiative stresses supporting the establishment of commercial farms to promote long-term agricultural development. Meantime, the vice president acknowledged that the country's agricultural sector faces several hurdles the program's intent is to address these issues and improve productivity. He noted the federal government's recent policies and programmes to strengthen the agricultural sector and alleviate. These initiatives include releasing grains from strategic reserves and subsidising agricultural inputs. Kaduna state Governor Uba Sani was present at the launch ceremony and he pledged his administration's support for the program. The state's Commissioner for Agriculture also commended the initiative, acknowledging its potential to empower youths, drive economic growth, and offer solutions to the multifaceted challenges faced by the agricultural sector.