By Dele Ogbodo
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on Tuesday commended the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) even as it appealed for expeditious release of the $5 million grant intended for the country for the implementation of its various programmes to boost food security across the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, while welcoming the High-Level Mission of IFAD’s led by its Associate Vice President, Dr. Donal Brown, to the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, underscored the overarching importance of the grant towards its various programmes.
The Minister said: “I will also like to appeal for the release of $5 million ASAP grant to Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) for climate change adaptation as well as the approval of her request for two-year extension to enable the program improve on its disbursement status.
“It is important to commend the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for being a formidable force in addressing unprecedented challenges facing the global food system.”
According to him, the focus of IFAD on Innovations for a Food-Secure Future as exhibited in the last 47th session of IFAD Governing Council Meeting in Rome is a right step in the right direction.
He said Nigeria is committed to working closely with IFAD on Inclusive Agri-Food System Transformation and Smallholder farmers’ empowerment, adding: “Our commitment to partnership with IFAD on innovative finance for food system is evident in our participation in the United Nations Food System Stocktaking Moment in July, 2023.
“It is no doubt that the trio of the Inclusive Agri-Food System Transformation, Smallholder farmers’ empowerment and Innovative Financing are levers of change that offers a unique opportunity to accelerate global food systems growth, leveraging on new sustainable models for better agricultural productivity, safer environment, richer nutrition, and better livelihood for rural communities.
“At this point, it is important to express our warm gratitude to IFAD for her fidelity to due diligence in the existing operations of FGN/IFAD Portfolios.
“The smooth implementation of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), Value Chain Development Program (VCDP) Additional Financing (AF) and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Program underscores the unique quality of our strategic³ partnership.
“It is my strong belief that some of the next steps in the implementation of LIFE-ND which include the approval of one year extension, request for $20m additional Financing (AF) and preparation of LIFE-ND phase 2 will be given accelerated attention.
Kyari, added that Nigeria is committed to IFAD’s future trajectory especially and essentially on leveraging innovation for agri-food system transformation, explaining that in with this pathway, the Federal Government is prepared to organize an agriculture and food security summit this year.
He said the summit is designed to bring together a diverse community of organizational partners and strategic stakeholders representing the public, private and social sectors in a commitment to make this wider view of innovation and new technologies significant enabling factors for Inclusive Agri-Food System Transformation and Smallholder farmers’ empowerment.
He said: “While feeling confident that promoting Inclusive Agri-Food System Transformation, Smallholder farmers’ empowerment and Innovative Financing is the way to go, I will like to assure you of our strong commitment to our multilateral partnership.”