Food Security: Kwara Partners NIRSAL, Others

The Kwara State government is partnering with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and other agricultural-related government funding institutions to further enhance agricultural production in the state.

The commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Afeez Abolore said the partnerships were aimed at enhancing structural support and aligning national interventions with the specific needs of smallholder farmers, youths, and rural communities in the state.

Abolore spoke during an inter – ministerial press briefing in Ilorin, organised by the Ministry of Communications.

“Our engagements with institutions like NIRSAL and other funds-related agencies are focused on building a coordinated system that delivers real value to farmers. We are working to ensure that national-level support structures are effectively aligned with our local priorities to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth,” Abolore said.

He said that the ministry was pursuing a more integrated approach to agricultural transformation with the ongoing investments in infrastructure, policy support, and institutional partnerships.

The commissioner said that the government recently set up a 7-member interim committee tasked with monitoring the distribution of agricultural resources with a view to ensuring that government-provided inputs and support reach the grassroots.

He highlighted key achievements of his ministry in the first quarter of 2025 to include the successful hosting of the Agro Input Fair and the inauguration of a pilot soil assessment laboratory within the ministry’s premises to support precision agriculture under the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He said that the ministry has also strengthened its collaboration with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) to boost local rice production and value chain development.

Abolore reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to fostering collaboration across all levels of government, institutions, and stakeholders to strengthen the state’s agricultural sector.