Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security,Senator Abubakar Kyari, has been elected Vice-Chairperson of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Governing Council.
He was elected at the ongoing 48th session of the IFAD Governing Council in Rome, Italy.
Thr session was being attended by Heads of State, ministers, and executive heads of observer organizations from 180 Member States.
The Governing Council provides a platform for dialogue on key themes shaping the organization’s role in promoting rural development.
The newly appointed Bureau consists of Chairman Christophe Schiltz of Luxembourg, alongside two Vice Chairpersons, Senator Abubakar Kyari of Nigeria and Tatiana Rosito of Brazil.
The meeting focused on “Catalysing investment at the 1st mile,” with a particular emphasis on agriculture and rural development.
Speaking at a high-level panel discussion, Senator Kyari highlighted the challenges facing Nigeria’s agriculture and the efforts of the Nigerian Government in promoting food security and accelerating Nigeria’s food systems transformation.
“First, I would like to express our pleasure and express our gratitude to IFAD for the long-lasting cooperation that we’ve had between Nigeria and IFAD,” he said.
Senator Kyari emphasized the importance of supporting smallholder farmers, who account for 90-95% of Nigeria’s agriculture.
“And I think the best way is to uplift. And I like what Mr. President said. He said it’s not a handout, but it’s a hand-up,” he noted, referencing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s agriculture.
The minister also discussed the challenges posed by Nigeria’s growing population, expected to reach 400 million by 2050, describing it as a scary reality.
Senator Kyari expressed appreciation for the partnership between IFAD and President Lula da Silva on the Global Alliance on Hunger and Poverty, stating that it “came at the right time”.
Meanwhile, in recent months, IFAD reinforced its commitment to the development of Nigeria’s agricultural value chains by approving key funding initiatives, including a two-year extension of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) to strengthen smallholder farming.
Other notable interventions are; additional $32 million for the FGN/IFAD/NDDC Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project, supporting rural farmers and agribusinesses and $86.7 million investment in the FGN/IFAD Value Chain in the North (VCN) initiative, aimed at enhancing agricultural value chains in Northern Nigeria.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
