Government’s determination to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production, as well as position the nation as an exporter of surplus agricultural products, has yielded significant gains in the agricultural sector.

An assessment of the agricultural sector between 2003 and 2005 indicates that through a number of presidential initiatives there has been remarkable increase in food production.

Some key examples are:

• Increased rice production from 3.0 million metric tonnes in 2002 to over 4.0 metric tonnes by the end of 2004; while the import bill was reduced by 40 percent
• Increased production and national self-sufficiency in vegetable oil
• National self-sufficiency in poultry production
• Excess increase in cassava production, thus making Nigeria the largest producer of cassava with 41.853 million metric tonnes per annum (export of cassava began this year, 2005; while flour millers and bakers now incorporate at least 10 percent cassava flour in bakery production and confectionaries)
• Increase in yam production (with 31.40 metric tonnes per annum, Nigeria is the largest producer of yams)
• Increased cocoa production from 249,782 metric tonnes in 2001 to 281,837 metric tonnes in 2003.

To encourage improved farm yields this year (2005), the Federal Government has procured assorted fertilisers for distribution to farmers through States and River Basin Development Authorities at a 25 percent subsidy. 250,000 metric tonnes were distributed in 2004