Nigeria produces an additional 20 million tonnes of food, providing over 3.5million jobs before 2015.

Introduced by President Jonathan and implemented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the Growth Enhancement Scheme's aim was to provide subsidized farm inputs directly to farmers. Within 90 days of its introduction, the massive corruption in fertilizer distribution process which had lasted over 3 decades was eradicated. Right now, over 90 per cent of farmers in Nigeria have access to farm input without stress.

In November 2012, 10 states kicked started paddy rice production and dry season farming. Farmers involved in this programme produced 1.1 million tonnes of paddy rice, created 467,000 jobs and N37 billion was generated. To ensure the steady increase in paddy rice production, the President put a ban on rice importation to increase the patronage of Nigerian rice. The State House kitchen was directed to use Nigerian rice only while feeding members of the First Family and their visitors. Nigeria had one rice milling company which was almost moribund before President Jonathan came into office. Right now, there are 18 milling companies all over the country established by Jonathan to accommodate the tremendous increase in rice production that has been recorded in the last three years.

In 2012, over 24 million stem cuttings of cassava were distributed to farmers free of charge, helping create a cassava industrialization policy. This development transformed Nigeria into the largest processor of cassava in the world. President Jonathan established the N10 billion cassava bread fund to support nationwide training of 5,000 master bakers, expanded the production of cassava, supported cassava flour processors to produce more cassava flour at lower cost, expanded corporate bakers and intensified social marketing of cassava bread.

Cocoa farming was not left out in the new revolution. In 2012, the Federal Government launched a massive programme to rehabilitate the old cocoa plantations and raise the production of cocoa through the free distribution of over 3.5 million hybrid cocoa pods. It rehabilitated 86,000 hectares and planted 57,000 hectares.

Jonathan launched a self-employment initiative under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme designed to encourage youths to go into commercial agriculture. The plan is to develop over 750,000 young entrepreneurs by 2015. Six airports were designated to be perishable cargo airports close to places in the country with abundant food supply, to aid food distribution in Nigeria and easy exportation.

The annual food importation bill reduced from $7 billion to $4.3 billion recently due to the efforts put in by President Jonathan to ensure Nigeria is self-sufficient in food production. Nigeria has increased national food production by 21 million tonnes. This figure surpasses what was projected by President Jonathan to be produced in 2015.

These developments did not escape the notice of local and foreign investors. They saw Nigeria as an investors' destination and keyed into the Transformation Agenda in the agricultural sector. So far, Nigeria has been able to rake in over ₦ 1.7 Trillion naira worth of investment.

President Jonathan is moving Nigeria forward.
Source: http://bb.forwardnigeriaapp.com/newssingle.php?id=417&row=5