Federal Government Unveils Ambitious Plan: 1 Million Hectares, 460,000 Tonnes of Soybeans in Two Years

In a significant move to bolster food security and position Nigeria as a major player in the global agricultural market, the Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to cultivate one million hectares of farmland and produce 460,000 metric tonnes of soybeans within the next two years.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, announced this strategic target on Tuesday during the official launch of the National Soybean Production Expansion Policy and Strategy. He emphasized that the initiative is more than just a policy; it represents a commitment to sowing the seeds of a food-secure and globally competitive Nigeria.

“Our target is to cultivate 1 million hectares of farmland and deliver 460,000 metric tons of soybean grain to the market within two years,” Minister Kyari stated. He highlighted that despite Nigeria currently producing approximately 1.35 million metric tonnes of soybeans annually, the national demand has surged beyond 2.7 million metric tonnes, driven by the expanding food, feed, and industrial sectors. This substantial shortfall, he noted, presents both a challenge and a significant opportunity for local expansion.

Soybeans are a crucial commodity due to their dual importance as an economic and nutritional powerhouse. Minister Kyari explained, “Soybean is a nutritional powerhouse, containing about 40 percent high-quality protein and essential amino acids, making it crucial in the fight against malnutrition and in improving household diets.” He also pointed out Nigeria’s comparative advantage in the global market, as its soybeans are naturally non-GMO, a trait highly sought after in premium markets in Europe and Asia.

The national strategy, developed in collaboration with the Commodities Development Initiative (CDI) and other stakeholders, aims to generate an impressive N3.9 trillion in annual revenue and create one million jobs across 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is designed to foster a supportive ecosystem where farmers, processors, and investors can thrive, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ which prioritizes agriculture for economic diversification and job creation.

To achieve these ambitious targets, the strategy focuses on enhancing productivity, expanding cultivated areas, improving processing capacity, and opening up both domestic and export markets. This will be facilitated through a coordinated approach involving federal and state governments, private sector players, and farmer cooperatives, under the newly inaugurated Nigerian Soybean Partnership. States like Benue, often dubbed the “food basket of the nation,” have already declared full support, with Governor Hyacinth Alia projecting a doubling of Benue’s soybean output from 202,000 to at least 400,000 tonnes in three years.

The initiative also plans for a Soybean Seed Multiplication and Distribution Programme, aiming to reach over 200,000 farmers in the next three years and improve average yields from 1.2 to up to 3 metric tonnes per hectare. This will be supported by deploying extension officers, introducing mechanization clusters, and training farmers in best practices and climate-smart agriculture. Furthermore, the government intends to facilitate public-private partnerships (PPPs) for land aggregation and development of new silos and aggregation centers to enhance post-harvest infrastructure and export capabilities.

By boosting local production, the government aims to reduce reliance on imported feed ingredients, strengthen the poultry and aquaculture industries, and build a more resilient, self-sufficient food system that not only feeds its populace but also unlocks doors to global markets.