Agric ministry tackles policy reversal with NAGESS Act

In order to guide against policy reversal and protect the Nigerian agricultural growth enhancement scheme (GES), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is pushing for an Act through the National Assembly for the establishment of the National Agricultural Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (NAGESS). GES is an initiative of the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture aimed at the distribution of quality improved seeds and seedlings, as well as inputs to registered farmers at subsidised rates in order to boost their farm yield and financial income.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, about 47 million farmers are currently registered under the scheme, which is credited with ending over 50 years of corruption in the nation- wide distribution of fertilisers to farmers in 90 days. At a public discourse on the NAGESS Bill on Mon- day in Abuja organised by the Agriculture Ministry to sensitise state commissioners of agriculture and other agricultural development partners, Martins Fregene, who represented the minister of agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, said that each state will have its individual needs addressed in the bill.

“The bill, when passed into law, will ensure that more relevant aspects of the scheme (GES) with respect to specific states of the federation are protected,” said the minister’s speech read by Fregene. Yemi Akinseye-George, the ministry’s legal adviser, read out the draft bill, which seeks to promote greater collaboration amongst the federal, state and local governments, as well as the private sector in facilitating the provision of support to agricultural development in the country. The bill is also intended to create a framework for attracting and sustaining greater private sector investment and to define platforms and personnel for the allocation of responsibilities that are necessary for the implementation of NAGESS.