Nigeria’s agricultural sector plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, contributing significantly to its overall development. To ensure the well-being of future generations, it is vital to focus on continuously enhancing production rates within this sector.
Dr Andrea Rüdiger, an agricultural economist and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) agricultural portfolio coordinator, provided valuable insights into the progress made in enhancing agricultural productivity during the Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA) 2024, held at the Transcorp Hilton Conference Center in Abuja from November 11th to 12th.
According to Dr Andrea, GIZ has executed a variety of interventions in 11 Nigerian states, boosting production in 16 agricultural value chains over the last decade. These efforts produced extraordinary results, such as rice cultivation, which has shown an average 152% improvement in productivity among the 150,000 farmers participating in Gprojects, and potato production, which has increased by 200-300% thanks to the introduction of high-yielding potato varieties and improved seed systems, farming techniques, and knowledge distribution.
Despite notable achievements, Nigeria’s agricultural sector grapples with significant challenges, including food inflation, climate change, and a rapidly growing population.
“I believe one of the factors explaining what we’re observing currently is the food crisis that Nigeria is facing,” says Dr. Andrea.
The country is experiencing unprecedented food inflation, making basic staples increasingly unaffordable for many households. While increasing food production is essential, the persistence of inflationary pressures indicates that the problem extends beyond supply shortages. Macroeconomic instability and inefficiencies in food distribution are also key factors exacerbating the crisis.
“Nigeria is among the 20 most affected countries by climate change,” Dr. Andrea added.
Shifting rainfall patterns and extreme weather conditions have rendered previously viable crop varieties unsuitable. To mitigate these challenges, there is an urgent need to invest in climate-resilient crops, adopt adaptive farming techniques, and implement sustainable land management strategies.
At the same time, Nigeria’s population growth continues to strain food production systems immensely.
“The estimated population size of Nigeria today is 232 million, so we’re looking at 50 million more people to feed within 10 years,” Dr. Andrea noted.
This rapid increase in demand requires a proactive approach to agricultural expansion and food security planning.
The GIZ’s agricultural portfolio coordinator emphasised the critical role of continuous innovation and policy reforms in sustaining and enhancing Nigeria’s agricultural output. Priority areas include scaling up climate-smart agriculture to counteract the adverse effects of climate change, improving farmers’ access to finance, particularly for smallholders, encouraging investments in modern farming technologies, optimising seed systems to ensure the availability of resilient and high-yield crop varieties, and strengthening regional agricultural cooperation to build a more stable and integrated food system.
The agricultural landscape in Nigeria is improving; however, more is needed from the governments, private sector stakeholders, and development partners. Joint action is required to prioritise agricultural transformation as a key component of national development.
