Criminal activities on farmlands in northern Nigeria risk derailing a $500m World Bank agricultural support programme. Stakeholders from various states warned that inconsistent government policies could undermine the AGROW initiative's effectiveness. At a workshop in Kano, calls intensified for addressing security issues and curbing food imports.
A workshop on Nigeria’s Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains for Growth (AGROW) held on Tuesday in Kano highlighted major threats to a $500m World Bank-backed agricultural intervention in the northwest. Stakeholders from states including Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, and Kaduna expressed concerns that criminal incursions on farmlands and policy inconsistencies could undermine the programme's goals. The AGROW initiative, anchored by the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), targets farmers in the Sudan Savannah zone to boost productivity and food security.
Kebbi State's Agriculture Commissioner, Alh. Shehu Muazu, lamented that wealthy contractors are preventing farmers from benefiting from government support. He criticized tax waivers on food imports as detrimental to local production.
Katsina's Agriculture Commissioner, Alh. Aliyu Lawal Zakari, urged the federal government to tackle insecurity, noting that banditry attacks could jeopardize food security. He also called for better market access for farmers and measures to reduce post-harvest losses.
Representatives from Gombe, Zamfara, and Kano states demanded prompt supply of agrochemicals and other inputs to large-scale farmers to enhance food security.
Mr. Eniola Akindele, Manager of Data and Input Assessments, explained that AGROW aims to provide loans to farmers, create jobs, and attract private investment in agriculture, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda for food security and industrialization. He emphasized a holistic value-chain approach, covering production, processing, marketing, and consumption. The workshop reviewed and validated AGROW activities in the Sudan-Savannah zone to ensure targeted, results-oriented support for farmers.