By Omoyeni Ojeifo
With millions of Nigerians facing food insecurity and rising food costs, the Federal Government has unveiled a 10-year Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan, making Nigeria the first African country to operationalise the CAADP Kampala Declaration (2026–2035)
Persecondnews correspondent at the meeting reports that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the strategy would provide a coordinated roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s food system over the next decade while aligning national food security efforts with continental commitments.
He said President Bola Tinubu had directed the development of the strategy to deliver measurable outcomes, strengthen coordination across government and align national food security efforts with continental commitments.
He declared: “Food security is a national security imperative. The President has given us a clear and urgent charge to move beyond rhetoric, beyond pilot projects and beyond fragmented interventions.
“Governance is not merely one of the strategic objectives of the Kampala Declaration; it is the bedrock upon which sustainable production, investment, food security, inclusivity and resilience must stand.”
He urged governments, development partners, farmers, civil society and the private sector to work together to implement the strategy and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.
“The time to act is now. Let us demonstrate the political will, the governance capacity and the collective resolve to transform our agrifood systems and deliver the Nigeria we want.”
Kyari said the strategy would be presented for adoption before being transmitted to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), providing a unified roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s agrifood system over the next decade.
Also speaking, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, urged the Federal Government to accord greater prominence to the livestock sector, describing it as a strategic driver of food security, economic growth, employment and rural prosperity.
“The livestock sector should not merely be viewed as a supporting component of agriculture but as a strategic sector capable of accelerating inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty, enhancing resilience and improving national food systems.”
Maiha said the strategy should prioritise investments in animal health systems, disease prevention, veterinary infrastructure, livestock breeding, feed development and competitive value chains to improve productivity and resilience.
“The implementation of the strategy should prioritise investments that will transform the livestock sector through strengthened animal health systems, effective prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases, modern veterinary infrastructure and improved surveillance, ” he said.
He added that expanding meat and dairy processing, poultry development, cold-chain infrastructure, livestock markets and transportation would create jobs, attract private-sector investment, expand export opportunities and improve the incomes of livestock producers.
In his remarks, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting the strategy and called for stronger collaboration across government institutions to achieve Nigeria’s food security goals.
“The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation will continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other relevant ministries and agencies to ensure the successful implementation of the strategy.”
Addressing participants, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, warned that global economic shocks continue to threaten Nigeria’s food system, underscoring the need for coordinated action to protect local agricultural production.
“No matter how well we are doing, we are not immune. Our food systems are exposed to global crises and distortions that threaten local agricultural production.”
Bagudu said rising energy and fertiliser costs, driven by global developments, continue to affect agricultural value chains, making stronger collaboration and sustained investment essential to achieving food security.
On her part, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs, declared that her ministry would work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure women play a central role in implementing the agrifood strategy.
Speaking on behalf of ActionAid Nigeria, the organisation’s Food Systems Specialist, Azubike Nwokoye, described the strategy as a major step towards transforming Nigeria’s agrifood system and urged stakeholders to sustain collaboration to achieve the commitments of the Kampala Declaration.
“The success of this strategy depends on strong partnerships and collective commitment to building a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood system for Nigeria.”
The strategy provides a framework for implementing the CAADP Kampala Declaration (2026–2035), aligning Nigeria’s food security priorities with continental agrifood transformation goals while strengthening value chains, improving access to farm inputs, enhancing food safety standards and promoting intra-African agricultural trade.
Also in attendance were the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, alongside other senior government officials.
Representatives who delivered remarks on behalf of the Ministers of Marine and Blue Economy, Finance, Health and Social Welfare, Regional Development, Humanitarian Affairs and Youth Development also pledged their ministries’ support for implementing the Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan.
The meeting attracted representatives of ECOWAS, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), GIZ, AGRA, the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG), Heifer International, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), development partners, farmer organisations and civil society groups.
Persecondnews also reports that participants reaffirmed their commitment to working together to implement the strategy, strengthen Nigeria’s food security and accelerate agricultural transformation over the next decade.
Author
Leave a comment