The federal government has assured of its commitment to achieving its 16 ministerial priority deliverables for the agric sector by 2023.
The Permanent Secretary in the agric ministry Ernest Umakhihe, reiterated the administration’s commitment and passion recently at a recent stakeholders and development partners workshop to dialogue on sector’s performance in order to develop policies and programmes that will speed up the achievement of the Malabo commitments and National goals.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA), Mrs Karima Babaginda, revealed that the ministry is working to develop the sector in its drive to diversify the nation’s economy.
To achieve the desired result, the sector is charged in addition to its mandate to deliver on 16 Ministerial Priority Deliverables by 2023.
He further said the Ministerial Priority Deliverables are to “ensure close collaboration with the states to build rural infrastructure, land clearing and development, scale- up production of livestock, fisheries and priority commodities, implement Rural and Livestock Transformation Plan, Train and Deploy 75,000 Agriculture Extension Workers, implement Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises, Establish Agri-Industrial Estates, Reposition and Restructure Agricultural Research Institutes and Colleges, Enhance National Food Reserve Stock and recapitalization of Bank of Agriculture for effective service delivery in the country”.
The 2-day workshop on “National Dialogue on the Performance of Nigeria at the Second Biennial Review on the Implementation of Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and Validation of 2019 Agricultural Joint Sector Review Report was held at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja.
He said the meeting was critical in order to identify data gaps and possible sources for the next Biennial Review process as well as identify areas for preparation of policy brief for articulation of projects and programmes towards enhancing the process of attaining the Malabo commitments”.
He pointed out that “the Ministry is at the verge of completing the articulation of another four year policy framework tagged National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Plan (NATIP 2021-2024) to serve as guide for the operation of agricultural projects and programmes in the country”.
Umakhihe disclosed that the ministry has taken a bold step in articulating an instrument tagged National Agricultural Data Management Information System (NADMIS) to facilitate data collection, analysis, harmonization and storage for overall planning, monitoring and evaluation on initiatives, programmes and projects at global, continental, regional and national level.
In her presentation of the Bienniel Review (Continental and Regional lessons, from the region and other countries), ECOWAS representative Mrs Fatmata Seiwoh submitted that many of the countries were yet to be on track with the 7 point commitments under the CAADP Framework endorsed by the African Heads of States at the AU Summit in Equatorial Guinea in 2014.
The Malabo declarations expected to be achieved by 2025 include: Recommitment to the principles and Values of the CAADP process, commitment to enhancing Investment Finance in Agriculture and Ending Hunger in Africa in 2025. Others are; halving poverty by the year 2025 through inclusive growth; boosting Intra-African Trade in Agricultural commodities and services, enhance resilience of livelihoods and commitment to mutual Accountability to Actions and Results.
