The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) says it is committed to collaborating with the international community in addressing Nigeria’s food and nutrition challenges.
Dr Donal Brown, IFAD associate vice president, Rome, made this pledge at the International news conference on Saturday in Abuja tagged “Dr Brown High-level Mission to Nigeria.’’
Mr Brown said the mission was to deepen IFAD’s partnership with the federal government and also support government’s efforts at food system transformation.
According to him, the gesture is geared towards food and nutrition, security, improved livelihoods of smallholder farmers and inclusive agro-industrialization.
“My mission is not only to strengthen our partnership but secondly is to look at the future direction of support that IFAD can provide the government.
“My visit is also to review IFAD partnership with Nigeria on food security and agriculture and to think about the future support we can give.”
The associate vice president, who decried many challenges facing Nigeria ranging from inflation and food, among others, said that President Bola Tinubu’s emergency declaration on food would make a difference in that context.
Mr Brown said IFAD worked in rural communities with smallholder farmers to improve food security and agriculture, adding that the organisation had strong partnership with government.
He assured that the organisation would design a new project to support the government’s food production value chain on climate adaptation.
“Most of our programmes, like the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) are really performing very well.
“We have a very good project in Niger Delta focusing on youth entrepreneurship and value chain project and also supporting the African Development Bank on Special Agro Processing Zone (SAPZ) project.”
On his assessment of the organisation’s ongoing projects in some states of the federation, Mr Brown said the projects were impactful with few challenges.
Dr Yaya Olaniran, IFAD executive board member and permanent representative to IFAD, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP), Rome, said the country was dealing with four terrible situations.
Dr Dede Ekoue, IFAD country director, Nigeria, identified the priority challenge to be addressed as resilience to economic shock regarding prices.
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IFAD To Partner Nigeria In Addressing Food, Nutrition Challenges
