The Federal Government is constructing strategic silos across the country to boost existing grains reserves, price stability and food security in the nation especially in case of national emergencies.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku stated this when members of the National Good Governance Tour inspected the construction of 10 silos located in Igbariam, Anambra State.

“You will notice that this year during the flood disaster, we had to go to our strategic grain reserves to make food available to some of the affected areas that were affected.

“The purpose of grain reserve is for the nation’s food security. The nation can come under disaster, can come under drought. They can come in different ways, it could be war in some instances leading to food insecurity,” he explained.

Mr. Maku said there is currently an ongoing revolution in the entire agricultural chain of processing, storage, preservation and marketing, in order to create employment and fast-track economic growth.

“As I speak to you, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina is in Davos. They made a request this year for Nigeria to make a presentation of our own new Agricultural Transformation Programme to the World Economic Forum.  This is because of the new policy in agriculture that was brought on board under President Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.

According to the Minister, the new policy has taken agriculture away from farming to a new phase being driven by the private sector as a business enterprise.

He disclosed that so far two million jobs had been created in the various sectors of agriculture and that government is targeting 3 million jobs before 2015.

The Minister also spoke of the reform in fertilizer distribution through the e-wallet system where farmers access fertilizer through their mobile handset with 50% subsidy.

He said a new marketing board to be driven by the private sector would soon come on stream to create market for farmers.

Briefing the team earlier, the Project Manager, Mr. Ernest Onyekwena of MECCA Nigeria Ltd, said the grain silos has a total capacity of 25,000 metric tonnes adding that work completion is at 70 percent. He pledged that the project would be completed in April this year.

He further informed that the contract was awarded at the sum of 1.5billion naira and amount paid so far is unde

Nice one. I hope they wont infiltrate this grains with fake grains Sha. Lol. Highly commendable i must confess

@OP, It is the Federal Govt that is doing this o, not Anambra state (its right there in d 1st line of yr article na). It is one of d about 8 new Silos projects been built by d FG across the nation, apart from resuscitating older ones....

Impressive!

And they think south east isn't ready for war