Federal Government, state governments and international development partners have begun moves to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector through the implementation of a new 10-year framework aimed at transforming Africa’s food systems.
The stakeholders met in Maiduguri, Borno State, during the Annual Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting on the domestication and implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration and Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035.
The meeting brought together the 37 state Commissioners of Agriculture, government officials and development partners to develop practical approaches that will improve food production, strengthen farmers’ livelihoods and enhance food security across Nigeria.
Representing Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, the Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Usman Kadafur, said agriculture remains critical to food security, job creation, economic growth and national stability.
Governor Zulum noted that Africa has huge agricultural potential with vast arable land, diverse ecological zones and a youthful population, but still faces major food security challenges.
He said the success of the Kampala Declaration should not be measured by the number of policies developed, but by the real impact it creates in the lives of farmers.
According to him, farmers need improved seeds, irrigation facilities, mechanisation, technical support, affordable finance, storage systems, processing opportunities and access to markets to move agriculture from subsistence farming to a profitable business.
The governor pointed to countries such as Vietnam, the Netherlands and Brazil, where investments in technology, irrigation, research, infrastructure and farmer support have helped increase agricultural productivity.
He said the Kampala Declaration supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially in the areas of food security, agricultural mechanisation, irrigation development, value-chain expansion and reducing dependence on food imports.
Zulum also praised the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, for his efforts in repositioning Nigeria’s agricultural sector and called for a shift from emergency food responses to sustainable agricultural systems.
He explained that the agricultural programme is especially important for Borno State, where years of insurgency affected farming activities, markets and livelihoods.
The governor said rebuilding the state must include restoring economic opportunities and helping communities regain productive livelihoods.
He highlighted Borno’s agricultural strengths in rice, wheat, livestock, fisheries, irrigation and dry-season farming, adding that the state is investing in irrigation, mechanisation and agricultural land development.
Zulum mentioned the solar-powered irrigation project in Baga as part of efforts to expand agricultural activities and support peace and recovery in affected communities.
Earlier, Senator Abubakar Kyari stressed the importance of stronger cooperation between the Federal Government and states in implementing the new agricultural framework.
Kyari said effective coordination and locally driven actions would determine the success of the Kampala Declaration in Nigeria.
The CAADP Kampala Declaration provides a 10-year continental roadmap for transforming agrifood systems, with targets including a 45 per cent increase in agrifood output and a 50 per cent reduction in post-harvest losses by 2035.
The framework also focuses on increasing agricultural investment and improving trade among African countries.
At the meeting, Germany’s development cooperation agency, GIZ, pledged technical support to help states align their agricultural plans with the new CAADP framework and strengthen implementation capacity.
Governor Zulum urged governments, development partners, financial institutions, researchers, private investors and farmers’ groups to work together in areas such as irrigation, productivity, finance, markets and agricultural resilience.
He called on participants to ensure that the outcome of the meeting leads to clear actions that will directly improve the lives of farmers and agricultural communities.
Zulum said the implementation of the Kampala Declaration should turn “policy into production, production into prosperity, and prosperity into lasting peace.”
The Maiduguri meeting is expected to support Nigeria’s efforts to domesticate the continental agricultural strategy and create practical state-level plans for achieving the CAADP 2026–2035 targets.
