The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has resumed its funding intervention for agriculture sector apparently in response to the challenges of food security in the country.
The apex bank has earmarked N100 billion to purchase 2.5 million bags of fertilizers for distribution to farmers.
The Governor of the CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said that the investment in agriculture would increase food production and reduce inflation, currently at 29. 9 percent.
Speaking during the fertilizer handover event at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security yesterday, he said, “As we are all well aware, the Central Bank of Nigeria significantly emphasises maintaining price stability as one of its primary mandates.
“Food prices are a crucial component of inflation, especially considering that a substantial portion of household expenditure in Nigeria is allocated towards food and non-alcoholic beverages.
“This reinforces the critical need to address food inflation as a pivotal aspect of managing overall headline inflation rates. While the CBN has been implementing comprehensive measures to curb inflation, it is evident that in the short term, inflationary pressures may persist, predominantly driven by escalating food prices.
“This is precisely why we convened today- to strengthen our collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture to mitigate the surge in food prices. “In alignment with our strategic shift towards focusing on our fundamental mandate, the CBN has veered away from direct quasi-fiscal interventions and transitioned towards leveraging conventional monetary policy tools for executing monetary policies effectively.
“In this light, we aim to extend our support and foster closer ties with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with the mandate and expertise to undertake these critical initiatives.
“Consequently, we aim to enhance our partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, bolstering your endeavours to enhance food productivity and security, ultimately curbing food inflation and fortifying our pursuit of price stability.
“In pursuit of these shared goals, we are delighted to announce the allocation of 2.15 million bags of fertiliser, valued at over 100 billion Naira, which we humbly hand over to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. This contribution from the Central Bank aims to amplify food production capabilities and foster price stabilization within the agricultural sector.”