By Oluseye Arowolo
The Federal Government has intensified its fight against devastating tomato and sugarcane pests, declaring the outbreak a national agricultural emergency.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, made the declaration during the flag-off of an Emergency Intervention Programme at the Federal Crop Production Technology Transfer Station in Dan Hassan, Kano State.
The initiative targets the rapid spread of Tuta Absoluta and the African Sugarcane Borer, two destructive pests threatening food production nationwide.
Senator Abdullahi warned that the infestations have slashed harvests, weakened farmers’ incomes, and endangered agro-industrial investments across Nigeria.
“We must act decisively,” the Minister stated, outlining a comprehensive response that includes farmer sensitisation, training of extension workers, distribution of approved pest control inputs, and deployment of integrated pest management strategies.
He emphasized that tomato farming sustains millions of Nigerians—from smallholder farmers to processors, transporters, and market operators—making swift intervention critical to national food security.
Senator Abdullahi assured stakeholders that only genuine farmers would benefit from the agricultural inputs under the programme.
He stressed that strong Federal-State collaboration and farmer education remain key to preventing further losses.
Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, the minister revealed that the planned release of improved tomato varieties in 2025 forms part of broader efforts to build resilience in the sector.
In a major policy shift, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi announced the upgrade of the Pest Control Division to a full-fledged Federal Department of Plant Health and Pest Control Services, a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s rapid response to crop threats.
In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud, affirmed that the state’s agricultural blueprint aligns with the Federal Government’s drive for food sovereignty and economic diversification.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, described the intervention as science-driven and strategic.
He explained that Kano was selected due to its pivotal role in irrigated agriculture and horticultural production.
Dr Ogunbiyi urged farmers to avoid indiscriminate pesticide use and strictly follow expert guidance to safeguard public health and the environment.
Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle
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