Federal Government Cooperative Intervention in Support of Food Security in Nigeria

…Flags-off Distribution of Farm Inputs to Farmers’ Cooperatives

…To work with the Movement in Revamping the Cooperative Sector

The Federal Government has flagged-off the distribution of farm inputs (Maize, Rice and Fish Feeds) to members of National Agricultural Cooperative Apexes (National Agricultural Cooperative Organization (NACO), National Apex of Nigeria Farmers Cooperative Societies (NANFACOS), Fishery Cooperatives Federation of Nigeria) Limited (FCFN), and Nigerian Women Cooperative Federation Alliance (NIWCOFA) ) to enhance food security and job creation in Nigeria.

Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State, Federal Ministry Agriculture and Food Security, flagged-off the distribution of the farm inputs at the Cooperative Intervention in support of the Federal Government declaration of state of emergency on food security in Nigeria programme held last week at the conference room of the Federal Department of Cooperatives within the premises of Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) Building at the Central Business Area Abuja.

In his opening remarks, The Honorable Minister of State said, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will overhaul and revamp the cooperative system to enable it deliver its mandate effectively in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government.

He said that the repositioning will create a cooperative sector that is trustworthy, transparent, and accountable to demonstrate the transformative power of cooperation in improving lives and communities through agriculture.

The minister acknowledged that the current cooperative laws are outdated and have not kept pace with recent dynamics, leading to a decline in trust and participation. According to him, the revamp will address these issues head-on, with a focus on updating legislation, promoting transparency, and rebuilding trust within the cooperative movement.

One of the critical aspects of the proposed reforms, the minister said, is to protect Nigerian farmers from fraudulent practices by unscrupulous cooperatives.

He also expressed concern about citizens being scammed by so-called cooperatives which he added, “We must put an end to this, our focus is on strengthening cooperative regulation to ensure that only duly registered cooperatives can operate”.

He said, “Furthermore, ongoing evaluation and assessment will be conducted to maintain compliance. Licences will be withdrawn from those not adhering to ethical practices.”
We already have a budget line this year to review all laws in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food security sector, so that those that require amendments will be done, the cooperative law received the last amendment in 2004”.

“We need to ensure that regulation of cooperatives is properly done. A situation where Nigerians are being scammed by so called cooperatives, we have to stop we’re going to do all we can to strengthen cooperative regulation.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, represented by the Federal Director of Cooperatives, Alh. Idris Sanni, stated that the Minister was in support of the Cooperative’s intervention in the distribution of farm inputs to Members of National Agricultural Cooperative Apexes to enhance food security.

He noted that the support to farmer cooperatives will significantly improve food production, curb food price inflation and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda in ensuring food affordability and availability across the country which is also in line with his mandate to ensure food security, poverty eradication, and economic growth.

Also speaking at the occasion was High Chief Tajudeen Oriyomi Ayeola who is the President of Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN) the umbrella body for all Cooperatives in Nigeria, who also doubles as the President of the International Cooperative Alliance-Africa (ICA-Africa) and the Vice President, International Cooperative Alliance (ICA-Global) which are the international bodies for cooperatives in Africa and Worldwide respectively, pointed out that since he assumed duty as the President about Seven years ago, have worked with two former Ministers for Agriculture and now, with the present Minister for Agric.

He commended the efforts of the Minister so far, stating that his appointment was an example of a right peg in the right hole.“ He then, conferred on him the title of Cooperative Champion and recalled that in the meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the challenges of Cooperatives were raised to include lack of attention, trust deficit, sharp practices amongst others.

He stated that cooperative is an instrument of development and has a lot to do, noting that by his position in the cooperative movement in Africa, he travelled a lot and for the past seven to eight years, he noted that the Cooperative Movement of Kenya has been contributing between 40% and 43% to the GDP of Kenya, stressing that we can do better in Nigeria.

Speaking further, he pointed out that the Cooperative contribution in Nigeria is not captioned in the GDP and emphasized that the issue of sharp practices by some coop members, is something that is over estimated, “people do think that it is the movement that is responsible for it, but we are not, as the Cooperative movement is a well structured and regulated body”, the Cooperative President added.

He stated that those involved in sharp practices are not registered members of the Cooperative Movement and as such, government itself has a lot to do, by coming up with programmes and more attention to the Cooperative movement.

Highlight of the event was the distribution of the improved seeds and fish feeds to the leaders of all the Farmers Cooperatives present at the occasion.