Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has stated his desire to work with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to improve food security in the country. This declaration was made during a meeting between Kyari and the IFAD Country Representative, Mrs. Dede Ekoue, on Wednesday in Abuja.
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the collaboration intends to increase food security while also addressing issues like as rural poverty, job development, and poverty elimination. Kyari emphasized the importance of this relationship in light of the issues Nigeria faces, such as insecurity, flooding, and climate change, all of which have reduced agricultural productivity.
He underlined the necessity of international assistance in ensuring food availability for the Nigerian people, with four of President Tinubu’s eight main agenda items devoted to food security. According to him, “Since 1985, IFAD has been Nigeria’s trusted partner for reducing rural poverty.” President Bola Tinubu is devoted to implementing his Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes programs and policies to improve food security, job development, and poverty elimination.
“To achieve these, the President declared a state of emergency on food security.”Kyari welcomed contributions and assistance from international partners to solve these difficulties, expressing gratitude for IFAD’s support and the possibilities it has provided to Nigeria over the years.
Mrs. Ekoue, the IFAD Country Representative, praised the Ministry of Agriculture and IFAD’s current cooperation on multiple fronts, expressing pleasure with Nigeria’s commitment to food security. She emphasized Nigeria’s long-standing collaboration with IFAD, which began in 1985 and has helped to food security by assisting small-holder farmers.
The purpose of Ekoue’s visit was to reaffirm IFAD’s commitment to food security and to establish a new cooperation strategy that will govern investments and partnership.
Opportunities for Nigeria include, among other things, developing technology and mechanization, encouraging women’s participation, integrating animal husbandry, and increasing private sector contributions to food systems.
