Nsukka – Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the Minister Agriculture and Rural Development, has commended the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan to develop agriculture through the launch of Agriculture Transformation Action Plan (ATAP).

Adesina made the commendation on Tuesday in an address he presented at the 36th Annual Conference of  the Soil Science Society of Nigeria held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“The Agriculture Transformation Action Plan will immensely improve the sector, the President’s resolve is to transform agriculture and boost food production.”

The minister explained that in line with the efforts to reposition the sector, the government was no more directly involved in the procurement and distribution of fertilisers.

“For decades the government procured, distributed and subsidised the cost of fertilisers, but investigation revealed that only about 11 per cent of Nigerian farmers benefitted from it because of corruption in the distribution process’’

According to Adesina, under the new arrangement, fertilisers and other inputs will be sold directly to farmers.

The minister described climate change as the “biggest’’ challenge facing efforts to boost food production in Africa,

“Climate change is expected to change the face of agriculture as it increases the vulnerability of crops planted by millions of poor rural and urban farmers.

“Severe drought will occur more frequently especial in dry semi-arid region.’’

He said that the government had put in place various technological innovations to improve adaptation to climate change in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Prof Victor Chude, National President,  Soil Science Society of Nigeria, reiterated the commitment of the society to partner with  the ministry to provide soil information services to farmers. (NAN)