Federal Government and FAO sign five-year agreement to boost Nigeria's agricultural sector with $99.5m
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Federal Government and FAO sign five-year agreement to boost Nigeria’s agricultural sector with $99.5m

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have signed a five-year Country Programming Framework (CPF) aimed at enhancing the country’s agricultural sector.

The initiative will be financed by the federal, state, and local governments, as well as international donors.

The CPF is designed to prioritize FAO’s assistance to the Nigerian government in creating an enabling environment for increased agricultural productivity, and will require $99.5 million for complete implementation.

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The agreement was signed by Mohammad Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Fred Kafeero, the FAO Representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Abubakar commended FAO for its continuous support to the Nigerian government, and urged stakeholders to invest in agriculture and develop strong action plans to address climate change, food losses, and institutional weaknesses.

Kafeero stated that the CPF’s purpose is to address the country’s priorities and commitments collectively articulated through programs and projects that meet Nigeria’s needs and tackle associated challenges.

According to Kafeero, the CPF takes full advantage of FAO corporate initiatives that Nigeria has joined, including the Hand in Hand, Digital Villages, and Green Cities Initiatives, to mobilize additional resources for effective and timely implementation.

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He added that a results framework has been established to ensure focused programming and an estimate of resource requirements provided to guide mobilization of funds for program implementation.

Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, also remarked at the event, stating that the current CPF’s priorities provide a foundation for strengthened collaboration and partnership between the Nigerian government and FAO.