By Lanre Shodimu
The Federal Government as part of his commitment to food security has launched an emergency intervention programme to curb the spread of Tuta absoluta and the African Sugarcane Borer, two destructive pests threatening tomato and sugarcane production across Nigeria.
This is according to the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who disclosed this during the flag-off ceremony held at the Federal Crop Production Technology Transfer Station in Dan Hassan, Kano State.
According to him, the initiative is designed to sensitise farmers and extension workers, provide approved pest control inputs and offer technical guidance on integrated pest management, while deploying emergency response measures to contain ongoing infestations.
The programme according to him reflects the government’s commitment to food security, farmer welfare, agricultural resilience and sustainable pest management, especially in frontline agricultural states such as Kano.
“Tomato is not only a widely grown and consumed vegetable in Nigeria but also a major source of income for smallholder farmers,” Abdullahi said, noting that the country ranks among Africa’s top tomato producers, supporting millions of jobs across production, processing, transportation and marketing value chains.
He stated further that persistent post-harvest losses and pest attacks, particularly from Tuta absoluta, have continued to undermine farmers’ productivity and income.
He noted further that while sugarcane production has generated employment, reduced imports and supported by-products such as ethanol and bioenergy, the African Sugarcane Borer remains a major threat to output.
