FG Launches FAO, IFAD-Backed Agrifood Investment Plan 

The Federal Government has unveiled a new agrifood investment plan designed to promote climate-smart farming and support smallholder farmers across the country.

The initiative was announced in Abuja by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who explained that the plan would prioritise scalable, high-impact programmes capable of reaching rural communities.

Kyari commended the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for their technical support, delivered through the Global Environment Facility’s Food Systems Integrated Programme.

“This global programme is not only supporting us in Nigeria but also connecting countries to share knowledge, experiences, and innovations. Such collaboration is vital as we work collectively to transform food systems for sustainability, resilience, and inclusiveness,” the minister said.

Nigeria’s agriculture sector remains the country’s largest employer of labour, providing livelihoods for more than 35 per cent of the population and contributing roughly 23 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Despite its importance, the sector faces persistent challenges, including low yields, limited access to credit, high post-harvest losses, and increasing vulnerability to climate change.

In recent years, government efforts have focused on modernising the sector through mechanisation, irrigation, and the use of improved seed varieties.

Officials said the new investment plan aligns with global initiatives such as the Paris Agreement, the UN Food Systems Summit, and commitments made at COP28, all of which call for food production systems that meet climate and sustainability goals.