….FAO seeks increased investment in innovation to address hunger, malnutrition
By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has reported a 4.39 per cent growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector in the second quarter of 2026, expressing confidence that ongoing reforms and investments are strengthening food production and improving the country’s food security even as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for increased investment in innovation to address hunger, and malnutrition.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in his statement to commemorate World Food Day 2026, celebrated under the theme, “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow”, in Abuja on Friday.
Abdullahi said the growth, recorded by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), represented a strong recovery for the agricultural sector, which had not experienced such growth momentum since 2021.
He added that crop production expanded by 3.66 per cent during the period, describing the figures as evidence that government reforms and investments were beginning to yield results.
According to the minister, the Federal Government remains committed to achieving food security for all Nigerians through policies and programmes designed to increase production, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen agricultural value chains and improve farmers’ profitability.
He said the government was implementing a comprehensive agricultural transformation agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to make the sector more productive, resilient, competitive and attractive to investors.
Abdullahi explained that the strategy covered the entire agricultural value chain, including research, farm inputs, storage, processing, financing, marketing and consumption, with the involvement of state governments, farmers’ organisations, development partners, research institutions, financial institutions and private sector operators.
The minister disclosed that the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) had supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods within four farming seasons.
He also announced that Nigeria’s annual domestic wheat production had increased to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes, representing a 3.5-fold increase from the previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes.
According to him, the achievements demonstrate the potential of targeted interventions to increase domestic food production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported agricultural commodities.
On mechanisation, Abdullahi said the government had commenced the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, with the commissioning of 2,000 tractors and implements to improve farming efficiency, reduce labour demands and make agriculture more attractive to young Nigerians.
He said the government was also implementing the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme, which includes soil mapping to improve understanding of soil conditions and support more effective fertiliser use.
Other interventions include the promotion of bio-fortified crops, revitalisation of agricultural extension services through newly trained frontline agents and the deployment of digital e-extension platforms linked to the National Farmers Registry, harmonised with the National Identification Number (NIN).
Abdullahi said the Federal Government was addressing high food prices by expanding dry-season farming, investing in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) and developing storage and cold-chain facilities.
He stated that the government was targeting a reduction in post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to below 20 per cent through improved storage, processing and distribution systems.
According to him, the measures would be complemented by the orderly release of food from the Strategic Food Reserve and the implementation of a Guaranteed Minimum Price mechanism.
The minister added that the government was promoting climate-smart agriculture, expanding irrigation infrastructure, repositioning the Bank of Agriculture to provide affordable financing and strengthening agricultural insurance and pest surveillance.
He stressed that addressing food affordability required interventions beyond increasing production, noting that improvements in storage, transportation, processing and marketing were equally important in ensuring that food reached consumers at reasonable prices.
The minister highlighted the implementation of the National Cooperative Identity Reform under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP 2030).
He said the initiative was designed to transform Nigeria’s cooperative sector into a credible, transparent and bankable economic bloc capable of supporting agricultural development and expanding access to finance.
Abdullahi disclosed that the programme was unanimously approved by the 8th National Council on Cooperative Affairs in March 2026.
According to him, the reform framework rests on seven pillars: legal and regulatory reform, digitalisation and data management, cooperative finance, capacity building, enterprise growth, socio-economic inclusion and strategic partnerships.
He said the initiative would strengthen cooperatives as vehicles for economic participation, enterprise development and improved access to financial services.
On insecurity in some of the country’s major food-producing areas, particularly in Northern Nigeria, Abdullahi acknowledged that the situation remained a challenge to agricultural production.
He said the government was responding through the deployment of additional security personnel, including the military, Civil Defence personnel and Agro-Rangers, to protect farmlands.
He added that collaboration between security agencies and farming communities was being strengthened to improve security and enable farmers to return to their fields.
The minister emphasised that food security required sustained cooperation among governments, farmers, development partners and other stakeholders.
He commended the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other development partners for their continued support for Nigeria’s agricultural development efforts.
The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, who during the Walk and Sensitization Rally to Mark the Event, stated: “the significance of World Food Day lies in its call for action. It challenges us to look beyond the food on our tables and consider the farmers who produce it, the resources required to grow it, the systems that preserve and distribute it, and the millions of people who still struggle to afford a healthy meal.
In his remarks, the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr. Hussein Gadain, represented by the organisation’s Programme Officer, Jimmy Owani, called for increased investment in innovation to address hunger, malnutrition and the growing challenges confronting global food systems.
Gadain said World Food Day provided an opportunity for governments, researchers, farmers, young people, investors and development partners to renew their commitment to ending hunger, improving nutrition and ensuring access to healthy diets.
He said the 2026 theme underscored the importance of innovations and investments made today in determining the future of food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods.
Citing global estimates, the FAO representative said approximately 645 million people faced hunger in 2025, while 2.69 billion people could not afford a healthy diet.
He observed that despite the world producing enough food to feed everyone, millions of people continued to experience food insecurity.
According to him, the challenge was not simply to produce more food but to ensure that it was accessible, affordable, nutritious and sustainably produced.
He identified climate change, conflict, economic instability and environmental degradation as major pressures affecting agricultural production, disrupting markets and threatening livelihoods, particularly those of rural communities and small-scale producers.
Gadain stressed that innovation should not be limited to artificial intelligence, drones and sophisticated digital technologies, noting that it also included climate-smart agriculture, improved farming practices, quality seeds and breeds, irrigation, mechanisation and sustainable management of natural resources.
He said indigenous knowledge, stronger institutions, innovative business models and supportive policies were equally important in improving agricultural productivity, resilience and livelihoods.
Bringing the global message to Nigeria, he said food security meant ensuring that every household had sufficient, safe and nutritious food at a price it could afford.
He explained that for farmers, innovation meant access to quality seeds, fertilisers, mechanisation, irrigation, climate information, extension services, digital advisory platforms, markets and finance to increase productivity and incomes.
For pastoralists, fishers and aquaculture producers, he said innovation involved improved production systems, better breeds and feeds, disease management, sustainable resource use and stronger market opportunities.
He added that young people stood to benefit from employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in digital agriculture, food processing and value addition, while women needed greater access to land, finance, technologies, skills and markets to participate fully in agricultural production and agribusiness.
The FAO representative said Nigeria possessed enormous potential to become a leading agrifood powerhouse in Africa, given its extensive agricultural resources, abundant water, vibrant private sector and large youth population.
He acknowledged the Federal Government’s commitment to food systems transformation through policy reforms and strategic investments but noted that climate shocks, insecurity, post-harvest losses and limited access to finance continued to constrain the sector.
Gadain called for the expansion of proven solutions, including climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, mechanisation, improved seeds and breeds, sustainable land and water management, resilient livestock systems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
He also advocated wider adoption of digital innovations, early warning systems and disaster preparedness measures to protect farmers and strengthen the resilience of agricultural communities.
The FAO representative urged governments, farmers, research institutions, universities, private sector operators, financial institutions, civil society organisations, development partners, women and young people to work together to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems.
He stressed that innovations would deliver meaningful results only when they reached farmers’ fields, fishing communities, pastoral systems, rural enterprises and households.
According to him, stronger partnerships, greater investment in people and innovation, and expanded opportunities for rural communities were essential to building inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
He called for sustained efforts to ensure that every Nigerian household had access to safe, nutritious and affordable food, while empowering farmers, women and young people to drive agricultural transformation.
Gadain concluded that investing in people, fostering innovation and strengthening partnerships would help build resilient food systems, end hunger, improve nutrition and ensure that no Nigerian was left behind.
World Food Day is observed annually to raise awareness of hunger and malnutrition and promote action towards building sustainable food systems and ensuring access to adequate and nutritious food for all.
In his Goodwill Message, the National President of Coalition of Farmers Associations for Food Security in Nigeria (COA-FARMERS), Chief Emmanuel Anoh lauded the agricultural transformation, which is geared toward achieving food and nutrition security, boosting economic growth, and improving the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
On his part, the National President of Mango Farmers, Producers and Marketers of Nigeria, Prof Garuba Umar Kankiwa, who congratulated the Ministers of Agriculture for the celebration, said his association has committed itself to providing and supporting the food security in Nigeria, through its initiative of planting one billion mango trees across the country.
“By God’s grace, this program is going to go on within the next four years. To this note, we are appealing to the federal government to support the initiative. We are appealing to the individual and development partners to support the programme, and also individuals to plant mango in their houses, in their offices, across the country.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, FCT chapter, hon. Perpetual Nkechi Okafor, said food security is achievable if the right direction is followed. She called for the production of
gender-friendly equipment to boost women participation in food production.
The celebration featured a road walk from the ministry to the Millennium National Park.
