The Federal Government has unveiled a broader strategy to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural sector by promoting innovation, encouraging private investment and strengthening cooperation among government institutions and development partners to improve food production and reduce poverty.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, disclosed this in Abuja during the second Biannual Meeting of the Agrifood Systems Working Group organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
He said agriculture remains one of the strongest tools available to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods and guarantee adequate food for Nigerians, adding that achieving these goals will require the active participation of governments, researchers, financial institutions, farmers and businesses.
Bagudu said Nigeria’s implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026-2035 provides an opportunity to accelerate reforms that will make the country’s food system stronger and more competitive. He praised the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, for coordinating the programme and ensuring that Nigeria remains aligned with continental agricultural priorities.
The minister explained that while the African Union has set agricultural development targets up to 2035, the Tinubu administration is pursuing a faster timetable, with the aim of reducing poverty and expanding economic opportunities for millions of Nigerians by 2030.
He noted that responsibility for food production is shared by the Federal, State and Local Governments, making close cooperation across all levels of government essential if the country is to achieve lasting improvements in agriculture.
Bagudu said Nigeria’s farming sector is built largely on the efforts of more than 42 million farming families, most of whom operate on a small scale. He added that improving their productivity and earnings would have a direct impact on food availability, employment, household incomes and national economic growth.
‘Our food system can only reach its full potential when farmers have better access to finance, improved technology, quality inputs and reliable markets that allow them to increase production and earn better incomes,’ he said.
According to the minister, the Federal Government is restructuring key institutions to improve support for agriculture. He cited the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the movement of fisheries to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as part of efforts to give greater attention to specialised areas of the sector.
He said additional support is also being channelled to agencies such as the National Agricultural Development Fund and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority to increase agricultural financing, expand access to farmland and encourage farming methods that can withstand the effects of climate change.
Bagudu argued that agricultural development should not be left to one ministry alone, saying progress depends on stronger partnerships involving scientists, universities, research institutes, young people, women, financial institutions and private investors.
He added that wider use of research findings and modern farming technologies would help farmers increase output, improve profitability and make agriculture more attractive as a business.
Describing the private sector as the main engine of agricultural production, Bagudu said government would continue to focus on policies that remove barriers to investment while creating conditions that enable farmers and agribusinesses to expand their operations.
The minister also called for greater cooperation to tackle emerging threats to food production, including rising production costs caused by higher fertiliser and energy prices as well as international trade practices that make imported agricultural products cheaper than locally produced goods.
Although insecurity has disrupted farming activities in several parts of the country, Bagudu said the restoration of peace in many previously affected communities, particularly in the North-East, has enabled farmers to return to their fields and record improved harvests.
He said protecting these gains would require sustained support from government, development partners, investors and farming communities working together toward a common objective.
Bagudu expressed optimism that Nigeria has the capacity to build a modern, productive and resilient agricultural system that can strengthen food security, create jobs, reduce poverty and support the country’s long-term economic development if all stakeholders remain committed to the shared vision.