ABUJA — The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said prices of some essential food commodities have dropped by as much as 50 per cent across Nigeria. Kyari made the disclosure in Maiduguri, Borno State, while declaring open a Community of Practice Meeting involving Commissioners for Agriculture, Health, Environment and Rural Development. According to a report by Punch Newspapers, the minister attributed the development to increased agricultural production, improved input delivery, investment in rural infrastructure and government support for smallholder farmers. Kyari said the reduction was particularly significant when current prices were compared with those recorded before 2023. He challenged Nigerians to compare the prices of commodities such as rice and maize in 2023 with their current prices, insisting that the figures showed a substantial decline. “We have seen the reduction of up to 50 percent in prices of some essential food commodities,” Kyari said, according to Punch. The minister said the Federal Government was focusing on increased food production, stronger rural economies and improved food-system resilience as part of President Bola Tinubu's food-security agenda. He also called on state governments to strengthen agricultural infrastructure, extension services, access to credit, quality inputs and climate-resilient farming practices. However, Kyari's claim comes amid continuing concerns over the high cost of living and food affordability, with Punch recently reporting that the minister himself acknowledged that gaps in processing and distribution were still preventing consumers from fully benefiting from increased agricultural production. Source: Punch Newspapers