Vice-President Kashim Shettima has directed the presidential food systems coordinating unit (PFSCU) to speed up the disbursement of the federal government’s N250 billion loan for smallholder farmers at a single-digit interest rate.

According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications, Shettima spoke during the unit’s 6th steering committee meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The vice-president instructed the PFSCU to develop a robust roadmap for disbursing the funds to prevent delays, reach target beneficiaries, and ensure translation into real productivity gains for farmers.

Shettima commended President Bola Tinubu for granting PFSCU political backing to implement key reforms like fertiliser liberalisation and the presidential seed fund initiative.

“I want to place it on record, our deep appreciation for Mr. President’s leadership and guidance,” he said.

“His clear directives on fertiliser liberalisation and the seed fund have empowered the PFSCU to fast-track delivery in ways that directly support farmers and strengthen our food systems.”

The vice-president also commended PFSCU for its achievements, noting that its output showed that aligned efforts between federal ministries, the private sector, and development partners can accelerate delivery.

In addition, Shettima urged stakeholders to collaborate more to revitalise the seed sector and expand the strategic grain reserve.

GOVERNORS ADVOCATE SUBSIDIES FOR LOCAL FARMERS

Biodun Oyebanji, governor of Ekiti, also emphasised the need for a structure to disburse the fund to smallholder farmers, while Umar Namadi, governor of Jigawa, and Bassey Otu, governor of Cross River, advocated subsidies for local farmers.

Marion Moon, the PFSCU coordinator, highlighted Nigeria’s fragile food security, with 30.8 million Nigerians still food insecure, but noted significant progress in strengthening coordination and collaboration.

Moon said the unit achieved major milestones, including insuring 250,000 farmers.

“Since the last SteerCo meeting in April, the PFSCU through respective MDAs has achieved major milestones: 250,000 farmers insured under the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM); Phase I of the Harvesting Hope Caravan launched across eight states in collaboration with state and local governments; approval of the ₦50 billion Seed Fund; and progress on the World Bank–supported $500 million AGROW program,” the coordinator said.

Other officials who attended were the deputy governors of Niger and Ebonyi states, ministers of finance and agriculture, ministers of state for finance and agriculture, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) president, and representatives of the private sector and development partners.