The Federal Government yesterday announced fresh incentives to boost agricultural investments. Speaking at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) National and Subregional Hand-inHand Investment Forum in Abuja, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said the government had set itself a target of lifting 35 million Nigerians out of poverty and creating 21 million full-time jobs in rural and agrarian communities.

According to him, it is part of the reform to unlock Nigeria’s vast food production potential through new policies that serve as a game-changer for agriculture and infrastructure investments. Shettima said the government’s reforms would introduce single-window platforms for land registration, strengthen agricultural credit systems, expand irrigation infrastructure, and scale mechanisation to unlock Nigeria’s food production potential.

He said: “Nothing unifies humanity as much as hunger. “It is the great equaliser that reveals our vulnerabilities and the shared fragility of our existence. “Food is not merely a matter of survival; it is a matter of global security.” The VP added: “We must facilitate access to land and resources for serious investors.

“We must drive mechanisation to reduce drudgery and enhance productivity. “We must strengthen the agricultural credit system to ensure capital flows to where it is needed most.” Shettima said irrigation is a game-changer, noting that Nigeria has river basins and aquifers capable of irrigating over three million hectares but currently uses less than 10 per cent.

He said:“Nigeria is open for business, and we are ready to partner with you. Let us work hand-in-hand to build a Nigeria and a sub-region where no one goes to bed hungry, where rural communities are hubs of wealth creation, and where agriculture is the true foundation of our prosperity.”

Shettima said the country is ready to partner with relevant stakeholders and investors in implementing its national blueprint targeted at creating 21 million full-time jobs in rural and agrarian communities, while securing national food and nutrition sufficiency. He said:”This blueprint seeks to lift 35 million Nigerians out of poverty, create 21 million full-time jobs in rural and agrarian communities, and secure national food and nutrition sufficiency through deliberate and strategic investments in agriculture.”