Agriculture stakeholders discuss possible solutions to food insecurity and trade challenges in Nigeria
Dr Kwesi Attah-Krah, IITA Director
of Advocacy and Country Alignment.
On 29 September, the National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) held a virtual workshop on Agriculture and Agribusiness. The workshop brought together notable professionals in the agricultural sector to discuss sustainable solutions to the challenges of food security and trade in Nigeria and Africa.
AfCFTA was created to expand intra-African trade and enhance competitiveness at the industry and enterprise levels by taking advantage of opportunities for scale production, continental market access, and better reallocation of resources. The National Action Committee on AfCFTA was set up to develop Nigeria’s strategy and mobilize all relevant public and private sector actors to implement interventions that will prepare Nigerian businesses for the AfCFTA.
Agriculture is a priority sector in Africa, being a key driver for economic diversification. In Nigeria, agriculture remains the largest employer of labor, providing jobs for one-third of the population. “In the first quarter of 2020, agriculture contributed 21.69% of Nigeria’s GDP,” said Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Smallholder farmers account for 60–70% of production, and the program plans to provide mechanization services to these farmers for improved production, which will, in turn, improve the country’s economy.
