Stakeholders Call for More Investment in Agriculture Infrastructure

• News in Brief -Agriculture stakeholders call for more investment in infrastructure for smallholder farmers as they recommit to advancing Nigeria's food security.
• -The council gathered agriculture commissioners, development partners, and experts to tackle issues on local production and access to credit. Stakeholders of the Nigerian agriculture sector at the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS) meeting have called for more investment in rural infrastructure and services to improve market access and ease food production for smallholder farmers in the country.

The 47th NCAFS regular meeting, themed Food Sovereignty and Food Security in an Era of Renewed Hope, brought together commissioners of agriculture from all 36 states, development partners, donor agencies, and experts to deliberate on strategies for transforming the country’s agricultural landscape.

Investment in Agric Infrastructure Development

Speaking at the forum, Mr Azubike Nwokoye, Food Systems Specialist at ActionAid Nigeria, urged the council to prioritise investment in key agricultural areas capable of reducing poverty, eradicating hunger, and promoting economic growth.

He highlighted several key issues militating against the development of Nigeria’s food production sector to include access to credit, labour-saving technologies, post-harvest loss reduction, extension services, youth and women participation, agroecology, rural infrastructure, and agricultural produce transportation.

Nwokoye made a case for urgent action by the council by highlighting how several development indicators in the agric sector are extremely low and inadequate for food security. 

He noted how only 20 per cent of smallholder farmers across the 36 states and the FCT have access to credit, and the poor state of extension services and access to demonstration farms in Nigeria, where only 5.26 per cent of farmers currently have access to demonstration plots for learning. 

The food systems specialist also decried how the lack of storage and transportation facilities worsens post-harvest loss for farmers. 

“Only 18 per cent of smallholder farmers have access to storage facilities, while just 9.6 per cent enjoy reliable transportation within rural communities”, he said, stressing how poor infrastructure continues to hinder farmers’ ability to transport produce to markets.

Gov’t Pledges Commitment to NCAFS

Earlier in the meeting, while declaring the technical session open, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus O. Ogunbiyi, said the council provides a platform for federal and state governments to exchange ideas and develop practical solutions for the growth of the sector. 

He emphasised the importance of the meeting by describing it as the beginning of the work of the council, providing a national forum where ideas are tested, experiences are shared, and practical solutions are crafted for the advancement of our agricultural and food systems.

“The theme challenges us to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to produce the food we consume, reduce external dependence, and ensure that every household has access to safe and nutritious food,”​ he said.

He commended state delegates and development partners for their collaboration, urging participants to use the session to identify what has worked, address emerging gaps, and chart a new course for agricultural transformation.

The NCAFS has historically been a pivotal forum for agricultural policy coordination and sector development in Nigeria. It has driven initiatives such as the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and facilitated access to vital resources for farmers, especially smallholders. Its past efforts have centred on modernising agriculture, ensuring food sufficiency, and reducing reliance on imports, thus playing a crucial role in Nigeria’s food sovereignty journey.​