Stakeholders address implementation challenges in Nigeria’s FLW policies for sustainable development

29 December 2023

Recently, IITA and IFPRI, under the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS), convened a diverse stakeholder forum in Abuja, Nigeria, to deliberate the implementation gaps hindering the effectiveness of national policies related to Food, Land, and Water (FLW) systems. These policies are crucial components of Nigeria's development framework, influencing food security, agricultural productivity, human health, and environmental resilience.

Over 30 participants attended the workshop from diverse sectors, including government agencies, academia, civil society organizations, the private sector, and multilateral donor organizations, specifically targeting four key policies-the Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016-2020), National Water Policy (2016), National Policy on Food Safety and Its Implementation Strategy (2014), and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2016-2020). These policies form the backbone of Nigeria's efforts to strengthen its agricultural sector and ensure sustainable development.

Dr M. A. Adegboye, representing the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Ernest A. Umakhihe, expressed appreciation for the workshop's timeliness, coinciding with the recent declaration of a "state of emergency" by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This declaration underscores the urgency of addressing agricultural challenges and improving productivity in Nigeria.

CGIAR Nigeria Country Convener Aline Mugisho highlighted the pivotal role of CGIAR in driving innovations across various aspects of agriculture, emphasizing the organization's commitment to transforming FLW systems sustainably. The collaborative efforts of CGIAR centers, including African Rice, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CIFOR, CIMMYT, ICARDA, IFPRI, IITA, ILRI, International Potato Centre, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), IWMI, World Agroforestry Centre, and WorldFish were acknowledged for their contributions to this endeavor.

Throughout the workshop, participants identified key challenges in policy implementation, such as high taxation on agricultural exports, a lack of policy understanding, inadequate knowledge of biodiversity, and the need for partnerships to enhance food safety capabilities. To address these challenges, participants proposed strategies, including raising awareness, establishing effective funding mechanisms, promoting stakeholder collaboration, implementing robust capacity-building programs, and engaging youth in agriculture.

Programme Manager at IFPRI-Nigeria, Dr Hyacinth Edeh, emphasized the importance of the National Policy Strategies (NPS) of the One-CGIAR Initiative in driving policy change and resilience-building in vulnerable agrifood systems. The FLW Flagship report, a key project of the NPS project, was highlighted as a significant tool for informing policy decisions.

The workshop's significance lies in its potential to bridge the gap between policy formulation and effective implementation, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector in Nigeria, and its outcomes are expected to catalyze positive developments, contributing to poverty reduction and economic growth.

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