By Abiodun Abdullai
Nigeria has adopted the Kampala Declaration (2026–2036) on agriculture and food security, a continental framework designed to strengthen sustainable food production, promote agro-industrialisation, and expand intra-African agricultural trade.
Speaking at the Community of Practice Summit of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the move would help Nigeria attract more private investment and reduce post-harvest losses valued at ₦3.5 trillion annually.
Kyari stated that the new framework "will drive bold reforms to make our food systems more productive, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable."
According to him, the Federal Government has already taken steps to support the declaration through initiatives such as:
Provision of 2,000 tractors and implements to farmers nationwide;
Launch of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in Kaduna, Cross River, and Ogun States, with additional zones underway; and
Mobilisation of $538.05 million in public-private investments — expected to stimulate over $1 billion in total financing by 2027.
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Kyari also revealed that Nigeria is implementing the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST) to cut massive inefficiencies in storage and logistics while improving value chain competitiveness for farmers and agro-processors.
"This investment drive will create a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable food system — one that improves farmers' incomes, reduces waste, and drives rural economic growth," he said.
The minister emphasised that synergy between federal and state governments remains critical to achieving food security and agricultural transformation, urging Commissioners for Agriculture, Livestock, and Rural Development to ensure full domestication of the framework at the state level.
Permanent Secretary, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the CAADP framework has already transformed the agricultural landscape by aligning national priorities with continental goals, while the Head of German Cooperation, Dr Karen Yansen, noted that the Kampala Declaration aims to strengthen governance and promote equity across food systems in Africa.
