Senator Saliu Mustapha and the Senate’s Part in Agricultural Revitalisation

Senator Saliu Mustapha and the Senate’s Part in Agricultural Revitalisation

By Mustapha Olayiwola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda gives agricultural reform first priority as a means of guaranteeing food security, stabilising the economy, and generating jobs. Under the direction of Senator Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production, Services & Rural Development, Nigeria’s agricultural sector has been much revived. His aggressive legislative initiatives, financial control, and stakeholder interactions have helped to gradually lower food costs, therefore supporting the success of government programs meant to raise agricultural output.

Developed in partnership with important stakeholders, including the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) and the Mastercard Foundation, one of the most significant legislative projects driven by Senator Mustapha is the Agricultural Extension Revitalising Bill. Designed to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural extension services, this law aims to give farmers access to stronger market linkages, technical knowledge, and improved inputs. The law seeks to improve farm production by tackling inefficiencies in the agricultural knowledge transfer system, therefore augmenting the food supply and price stabilisation.

Senator Mustapha has also supported several important agricultural measures, including the National Food Reserve Agency (Establishment) Bill, 2023, which aims to enhance food storage systems to help to minimise supply shocks. By providing a more systematic approach to food stocks, the bill helps offset price variations that often occur from seasonal shortages or external economic pressures.

Understanding how inflation and climate-related issues affect food prices, the Senate Committee on Agriculture—led by Mallam Saliu Mustapha—has given mechanisation, irrigation, and rural infrastructure top priority in budgetary allocation. Senator Mustapha underlined in the 2025 budget defence session the need of significant capital expenditures to raise agricultural output and lower food prices. His campaigning has resulted to increasing government funding on essential agricultural projects, including fertilizer distribution, dry-season farming growth, and climate adaption techniques.

Effective oversight of government programs and agricultural agencies has been another significant area of concern. The Senate Committee has worked closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure that programs meant to improve food production are effectively implemented. Notably, the committee played an active part in the investigation of food security efforts, wondering why hunger continued despite repeated government interventions. This accountability has led to a more results-oriented approach, ensuring that resources are efficiently employed to support farmers and stable food prices.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has acknowledged the good impact of these initiatives, adding that food prices have started to drop due to improved agricultural policy and strategic interventions. He ascribed this development to the tight coordination between the National Assembly and the executive in implementing food security measures, notably those championed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture ably led by the distinguished senator, Saliu Mustapha.

Beyond legislative and oversight roles, Senator Mustapha has actively sponsored agricultural empowerment programs aimed at enhancing local food production. His Alubarika 1.0 Agricultural and Human Capital Development Empowerment Programme, which benefited over 2,500 farmers and agripreneurs in Kwara State, offered access to sophisticated farming equipment and vital inputs. By empowering smallholder farmers with the tools needed to scale up production, these efforts have contributed to greater food availability, further bringing down costs in local marketplaces.

Conclusively, the progressive drop in food prices and agricultural product costs may be directly connected to the combined efforts of the federal government and the legislative oversight given by the Senate Committee on Agriculture under the leadership of Senator Saliu Mustapha. Through proactive policies, improved budgetary allocations, and effective supervision, the committee has played a crucial role in stabilizing Nigeria’s food supply system. As the Renewed Hope Agenda continues to unfold, consistent legislative and executive partnership remains important in achieving long-term agricultural sustainability and food security in Nigeria.