Nigeria courts FAO to boost food security
Nigeria’s minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, said he has requested stronger collaboration between the government and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to enhance agricultural productivity, promote sustainable development and increase employment opportunities in the country.
“On the sidelines of the 2025 World Food Forum, I had a productive bilateral meeting with Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) @FAO of the United Nations,” Mr Kyari said in a post on X (formerly twitter) on Wednesday.
The minister said their discussion centred on firming up FAO’s partnership with Nigeria to bolster agricultural initiatives, particularly those aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholders across the country.
Barely two years into President Bola Tinubu’s first term, Nigeria is facing a severe food crisis largely fuelled by the abolition of petrol subsidies, a much weaker naira resulting from currency devaluations and insecurity in key food-producing states.
Such policies have sharply driven up the costs of transportation and agricultural inputs.
In the same vein, devastating flash floods in major agrarian areas over the past three years have had adverse impact on food availability and affordability.
To tackle the trend, the government had in recent months unveiled new policies and initiatives to boost food production, drive down prices, and address the cost-of-living crisis.
“Priority areas”
Mr Kyari highlighted several priority areas of the engagement he had with the FAO, including the recharge of the Lake Chad Basin, sustainable irrigation development, agricultural mechanisation, and the creation of a national farmers’ database.
He restated Nigeria’s request for FAO’s technical and financial backing for the recharge of the Lake Chad Basin, which he described as crucial to restoring agribusiness activities, livelihoods, and food security in the region.
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On irrigation, the minister said he called for increased FAO partnership to expand water management systems in a bid to ensure year-round farming and boost productivity among smallholders.
An expansion of agricultural mechanisation initiatives in Nigeria to improve efficiency and value addition in rural farming communities also formed part of the deliberation, Mr Kyari stated.
The minister said he also advocated for increased employment opportunities for qualified Nigerians within FAO Headquarters and its global offices in recognition of the country’s growing role in global food security efforts.
He said the FAO director-general reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s agricultural priorities and advancing shared goals of food security, climate resilience, and rural prosperity.