The Federal Government, in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders, has officially endorsed Nigeria’s Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan aimed at facilitating the execution of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration for the period 2026–2035.
Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, stated that this strategy was formulated in response to a presidential directive to adapt and localise the Kampala Declaration for Nigeria’s context.
During the National Validation of Nigeria’s Strategy and Action Plan for the Implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration held on Wednesday in Abuja, Kyari emphasised the pivotal role of agriculture in Nigeria’s development.
He highlighted that the agricultural sector sustains the livelihoods of over 70 per cent of the Nigerian population, bolsters rural economies, and significantly contributes to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nevertheless, the minister acknowledged that the agricultural sector is confronted with numerous challenges, particularly those posed by climate change, which jeopardise the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the country’s food sovereignty.
“While the Kampala Declaration offers a continental framework, the new Action Plan represents Nigeria’s tailored response.
It transcends subsistence farming to promote agricultural industrialisation, value addition, and resilience. “This strategy aims to tackle the fragmentation and inadequate coordination that have hindered progress in the past.
“Additionally, it will establish a unified framework to attract both public and private investments, incorporate CAADP Biennial Review indicators into planning and budgeting processes, and mobilise blended financing to enhance access to inputs, technology, credit, and agricultural insurance,” he stated.
Kyari called upon stakeholders to contribute insights that would fortify implementation arrangements, establish measurable targets, timelines, and performance indicators, with a specific focus on smallholder farmers, women, youth, and vulnerable populations.
“This document serves not merely as a record; it is a dynamic framework that will steer our actions, investments, and collaborations throughout the upcoming decade.
“I urge all ministries, departments, and agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, along with the private sector and civil society, to synchronise their budgets and programs with this strategy,” he stated.
He further noted that the discussions would bring Nigeria closer to establishing a cohesive and actionable strategy capable of ensuring food security, enhancing rural prosperity, and fostering resilience.
Additionally, Dede Ekoue, the Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), characterised the strategic action plan as essential to the collective endeavour of transforming Nigeria’s agrifood system.
Ekoue indicated that the plan encompasses six pillars designed to empower women and youth, revolutionise agricultural value chains, increase profitability for farmers, and bolster climate resilience. “It also emphasises the need to enhance governance and coordination within the sector.
“Given the significance of the agrifood sector, which encompasses agriculture, livestock, and aquaculture, it is imperative that coordination is executed effectively and that all stakeholders collaborate,” she remarked.
The CAADP was endorsed by African leaders in Maputo in 2003, with pledges to allocate 10 per cent of national budgets to agriculture and to achieve an annual agricultural growth rate of six per cent.
The 2026 Kampala Declaration reaffirms this commitment with a more comprehensive systems-based approach that includes value chains, resilience, inclusivity, and governance.
