The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has announced that the Federal Government, in partnership with the Commodities Development Initiative (CDI) and other stakeholders, has validated the National Soybean Expansion Strategy. This initiative aims to boost Nigeria’s soybean output by an extra 460,000 metric tonnes. This move was confirmed during a national workshop held on Wednesday in Abuja.
Kyari, who was represented by Mr Ibrahim Alkali, Senior Technical Adviser, said the ministry is prioritising value chain development that is private sector-driven, food-secure, and export-oriented.
He assured participants of the ministry’s commitment to providing the necessary policy and institutional support to drive the strategy forward.
He lauded the inclusive, action-oriented approach taken in its formulation.
“We must treat soybeans as a strategic commodity. It is vital for nutrition, livestock feed, and foreign exchange.
“I am pleased with the direction this strategy is taking. Let us ensure that implementation is led by the private sector, but with strong government backing,” he said.
The minister also directed relevant departments within the ministry to integrate the strategy into national planning frameworks and align its goals with broader agro-industrial policies.
Mr Roland Oroh, Managing Director of CDI, emphasised the collaborative and multi-stakeholder nature of the strategy.
He said the objective of the validation was to scale up Nigeria’s soybean production by an additional 460,000 metric tonnes.
This, he noted, could be achieved through a coordinated approach focused on enhancing productivity, expanding cultivated areas, improving processing capacity, and opening up both domestic and export markets.
According to him, the soybean expansion strategy is a practical roadmap developed with contributions from farmers, processors, exporters, investors, and government actors.
“The next phase is implementation, and that begins now with commitment from all parties involved,” Oroh said.
He noted that the workshop united key public and private stakeholders in the soybean value chain.
Oroh explained that the partnership would mobilise investments, strengthen farmer linkages, support agro-industrial processing, and position Nigeria as a competitive source of non-GMO soybeans.
A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework was signed under the Nigeria Soybean Partnership, a key moment of the workshop. This framework was spearheaded by a coalition of stakeholders.
The workshop, which brought together the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the National Soybean Association of Nigeria, the Oil Seed Processors Association of Nigeria, and CDI, included collaborators like the Dawanu Market Development Association.
These stakeholders were tasked with implementing the strategy and coordinating interventions across the soybean value chain.
Source: AgroNigeria
