The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to collaborate with the Government of Netherlands on improved seeds /seedlings in order to boost agricultural productivity in the country.
The Minister disclosed this Thursday when he hosted a delegation of Netherlands private investors led by the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Marion Kappeyne, in Abuja.
Ogbeh commended the government of Netherlands for its numerous supports for Nigeria towards the development of agriculture, adding that Nigeria looks forward to high level of bi-lateral engagements with Netherlands, especially on improved seeds.
The minister noted further that apart from the need for an improved seeds, the Nigerian government would further require the support of Netherlands Government in areas of research, cattle breeding, aquaculture, especially with Nigeria spending about $60 million yearly on fish importation.
Ogbeh disclosed that the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, had set up a team – Agro Rangers- to provide security for Nigerian farmers as part of government’s commitment to create an enabling environment for both public and private sectors in the nation’s Agriculture sector.
Earlier in her address, the Netherlands envoy, Ambassador Marion Kappeyne, said that the delegation came to the Ministry to explore areas of collaboration for the development of the Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
She listed that areas of collaboration with the ministry could include improved seeds, horticulture, aquaculture, poultry and nutrition among others.
The Ambassador expressed her government’s readiness to support Nigeria in the ongoing agriculture revolution to change the country from food import-dependent country to food exporting one.
