The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and ActionAid Nigeria have launched a national initiative accelerating Nigeria’s transition to sustainable farming, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and strengthening long-term food security.
The two-day National Summit on Agroecology, Climate Justice, and Public-Private Partnerships, held in Lagos, began with the validation of Nigeria’s draft national agroecology strategy.
The strategy outlines a pathway for a regenerative and climate-resilient agricultural model that supports farmers, especially youth and women, while creating new green job opportunities across rural communities.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of FMAFS, Dr Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Ibrahim Tanimu, described the summit as a significant step towards building a more sustainable agricultural future.
He noted that agroecology provides a practical way to improve soil fertility, restore ecological balance, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen rural livelihoods.
He added that the summit also featured the presentation of findings from the Budget Analysis on Public Financing for Agroecology (2020–2025).
The assessment highlighted current investment levels, funding gaps, and emerging opportunities for scaling agroecological practices.
According to him, once the strategy is validated, it will become a government-owned framework guiding agricultural planning, research, extension services, and budget allocations across the federation from the 2026–2027 budget cycle.
ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr Andrew Mamedu, underscored the success of agroecology interventions already implemented through the Strategic Partnerships for Agroecology and Climate Justice in West Africa (SPAC-West Africa) programme.
He noted that 116,008 farmers, many of them women and youth, have been trained on agroecological principles, with more than 200 model farms established across five states.
Mamedu stressed that agroecology has proven effective in empowering smallholder farmers to produce sustainably, preserve indigenous seeds, and improve household nutrition.
He added that the adoption of the national strategy would signal Nigeria’s strong commitment to aligning its agricultural future with global sustainability efforts.
Representing the agricultural development programmes (ADPs), the General Manager of the Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency, Mal. Muhammad A. Rili described agroecology as a “transformative pathway” that empowers communities and supports climate justice through nature-based solutions.
He reaffirmed the readiness of ADPs nationwide to support implementation at the grassroots level.
Women and youth advocates also played a prominent role at the summit.
Chairperson of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, Zainab Isah Arah, highlighted the crucial role of women, who make up 70 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural labour force, in shaping agroecology policies.
National Coordinator for Young Farmers, Solihu Abdulbasit, emphasised that the rising number of young farmers positions youth-led agroecology as a transformative force in reshaping the national food system.
The discussions align with the global push for agroecology, including the 2024 strategy launched by the 300-member Agroecology Coalition, which aims to accelerate the shift toward sustainable agricultural systems by 2030.
The Coalition’s goals include attracting greater investment, strengthening supportive policies, and promoting inclusive agricultural business models.
Source: The Nation Online
