.Edun: Tasks Leaders on need to refocus CAADP to leapfrog continent out of hunger, poverty
By Seun Adams
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has inaugurated the Agricultural Sector Working Group (ASWG) to enhance food security, nutrition, and sustainable agricultural development across the continent.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee, at the ASWG inaugural and inception meeting held at Rock View Hotel, in Abuja recently, the Minister pointed out that to achieve this goal requires continuous engagement with critical stakeholders to foster innovative solutions, strengthened collaboration, and effective policy formulation.
“Through structured dialogue and shared expertise, we can ensure that our policies, programs, and projects are tailored to meet both current and future challenges in agriculture and food security. Given Nigeria’s pivotal role in the global agricultural ecosystem, it is imperative that we establish a sustainable and structured platform that not only tracks our performance but also actively explores alternative strategies to bridge existing gaps.” the Minister, said.
He further stated that the ASWG will serve as a critical mechanism, providing a forum for monitoring progress, enhancing accountability, and mobilizing collective action towards the achievement of the shared agricultural goals.
Kyari, noted that he will be the team Lead as Chairperson, supported by his State Minister counterpart, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, with the Permanent Secretary will serve as the Secretary.
He pointed out that “together, we will work towards fulfilling the following key responsibilities” by providing advisory services and policy initiatives to guide the sustainability growth and development of the sector in Nigeria; facilitating the implementation of the resolutions of the African Union Heads of state on agrifood system transformation in line with 2025 Kampala Declaration in the country, amongst others.
The Minister, therefore, urged the group who will be meeting quarterly to apprise the performance of the sector, identify the gaps and as well proffer alternatives to drive the sustainable growth and development of the sector to uphold the principles of inclusiveness, transparency, prioritization, and partnership for collective Agrifood System Transformation in the country.
In a remarks, the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, recalled that the Malabo Agenda discussed in Kampala, January 2025 raised concern about the slow progress noting that the continent was not on track to meet with the comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development programme (CAADP) aimed at reducing poverty and increasing food security by 2025.
He said: “This concern along with the margin threats of African Agrifood system led to the development of this post Malabo agenda that was discussed in Malabo early this year, we all know that one of the key objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in line with the commitment to ensure food production, food security and indeed making it available and affordable to Nigerians”.
The Minister stressed the need for Institutional Adaptation, pointing out that in Nigeria, we are focused on ensuring that the Agricultural sector value chain is fully developed.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi reaffirmed the critical role of the group in fostering collaboration, policy alignment and coordinated action among government institutions, development partners and other key stakeholders, pointing out that the challenges before us ranging from food security concerns to climate change adaption and agricultural transformation which requires a unified approach and the ASWG would serve as a strategic mechanism to achieve it.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the overview of CAADP/Maputo and Malabo, CAADP progress and Malabo Achievements, and the way forward for ECOWAS and ECOWAS Countries by Mr. Christopher Mensah representing ECOWAS Commission.
In attendance were the Minister, Livestock Development, representatives of Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Marine and Blue Economy, President All Farmers Association of Nigeria, President Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, IFAD, AGRA, NACCIMA, FAO, ActionAid, Directors of the Ministry, amongst others.
