The Federal Government on Tuesday launched a three-day validation workshop in Abuja to review the 2022–2024 Agricultural Joint Sector Review (JSR) reports and the 3rd National Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) for 2025–2027, aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural sector.
Declaring the event open at the Abuja Continental Hotel, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the initiative aligns with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) adopted in 2003 to accelerate agricultural growth, food security, and economic development.
“The collective commitment aims to drive a prosperous, resilient, and transformative agrifood system across the continent,” Ogunbiyi said, noting that Nigeria had ranked fourth and third in the 2017 and 2023 AU Biennial Review Reports, respectively, despite lingering challenges.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had intensified investment in agriculture through initiatives such as the Renewed Hope Mechanization Programme, which deployed 2,000 tractors to cultivate over 550,000 hectares of farmland expected to produce more than two million metric tons of staple foods and create jobs for youths and women.
Other interventions, according to him, include the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) with ₦1.5 trillion, the establishment of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), and the repositioning of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to expand land cultivation.
Ogunbiyi explained that Nigeria remained committed to implementing CAADP goals under successive administrations, with the recent inauguration of an Agricultural Sector Working Group on April 15, 2025, to coordinate responses to the Kampala Declaration adopted by the African Union in January.
On his part, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Ibrahim Tanimu, said the workshop would allow stakeholders to reflect on progress and strategise for sustainable growth.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, a critical element in achieving food security, enhancing livelihoods, and promoting sustainable development,” he said.
The meeting, attended by stakeholders from the All Farmers Association, Nigerian, Quarantine Services, Nigerian Customs, and development partners, featured presentations by CAADP Regional Expert Prof. Raphael Babatunde, and Dr. Azeez Muyiwa, who reviewed Nigeria’s agricultural sector performance.
