The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) have called for policy reforms to address food security in Nigeria.
In a high-level meeting on Friday, March 14th, led by FAO’s Nigeria Country Representative, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, both institutions addressed innovative measures to ensure the accessibility, affordability, and availability of agricultural products across Nigeria.
The discussions focused on crucial challenges affecting Nigeria’s agricultural industry, such as market access obstacles, supply chain inefficiencies, and the increasing impact of climate change on food production.
FAO and NESG underlined the necessity of building public-private and international partnerships to push critical changes and increase investments in modern agriculture practices.
The key areas identified for improvement include promoting climate-smart agriculture, enhancing agricultural infrastructure, and deploying advanced technologies to increase productivity.
Both organisations also stressed the need to provide farmers with the tools and knowledge to withstand climate-related disruptions.
In their joint efforts, NESG and FAO aim to deepen their collaboration through policy advocacy, private sector engagement, and capacity-building initiatives targeting farmers and agribusinesses. Their shared goal is to foster sustainable agricultural growth, economic transformation, and long-term food security for Nigeria.
This partnership marks a significant step toward addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing issues. By leveraging their collective expertise, NESG and FAO are working to create a more resilient agricultural sector, driving both economic development and food security across the nation.
With an estimated 24.8 million people enduring food insecurity as of November 2024, Nigeria is now battling acute malnutrition and food insecurity. By August 2025, this number will increase to 33 million, made worse by economic hardship, conflict, and climate change.
To improve food security in Nigeria and other West African nations, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and ECOWAS recently inked a $12 million grant agreement to carry out the Rice Resilient Value Chains Development Project (REWARD).
Source: News Central
