Agric Development Fund Seeks Balance Between Affordable Food Prices, Farmers’ Profit

The Nigerian Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has called for a balance between making food affordable for consumers and ensuring that farmers earn enough from their produce to sustain agricultural production.

The Managing Director of NADF, Mohamed Ibrahim, said addressing the challenge required improved agricultural productivity, increased investment, access to finance and measures to reduce the high cost of farm inputs.

He spoke at the Abuja roundtable, “Promise to Proof: The Renewed Hope Conversation,” organised by the APC Progressive Strategy Roundtable, where discussions focused on government interventions and strategies for improving agricultural productivity and food security.

Ibrahim explained that the fund was pursuing a four-pronged strategy aimed at improving productivity and attracting private-sector investment into agriculture.

He said the NADF had implemented interventions through its Farm Input Support Programme, which provided support to farmers through agro-processors, while a subsequent fertiliser support initiative covered farmers in 25 states.

He also highlighted interventions in ginger recovery, agricultural research, digital extension services and mechanisation training, noting that the initiatives were designed to address challenges affecting farmers across the agricultural value chain.

According to him, the fund is exploring wholesale lending, non-interest financing and blended finance models to expand access to agricultural funding.

Ibrahim noted that despite agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy, the sector continued to receive a relatively small share of lending, leaving a significant financing gap.

He said the fund was working on guarantees, concessional financing and studies to attract more private capital into the sector.

The NADF managing director also identified the high cost of agricultural inputs as a major challenge, stressing the need for interventions that would reduce production costs without undermining farmers’ profitability.

Representing the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, an FCTA agricultural official, Mallam Haruna Umar,highlighted the administration’s interventions to strengthen agricultural production, rural livelihoods and agribusiness in the territory.

Umara outlined projects including the Zubanao agro-processing hub and aquaculture facilities, as well as plans for abattoir development and increased investment in livestock production.

He also highlighted climate-resilience initiatives supported by the World Bank, aimed at strengthening agricultural production and improving food security in the FCT.

The discussion further examined the importance of supporting both subsistence and commercial farmers, with participants stressing that improved productivity, storage facilities, infrastructure and stronger agricultural value chains were essential to addressing food insecurity.

Participants also raised concerns about access to finance for rural women and the need to strengthen their participation in agricultural activities.

It was disclosed that women had been organised into cooperatives across 93 cells in the FCT, with extension workers helping to connect them to agricultural information, inputs, training and other support services.

The meeting also discussed pilot agricultural facilities expected to be expanded across the FCT’s six area councils, alongside support from development partners for nutrition-related programmes.

Participants called for improved coordination among government agencies and stronger public awareness campaigns to ensure that farmers and rural communities were better informed about available agricultural interventions.

They also highlighted regional differences in agricultural financing, food prices and distribution costs, noting that inadequate infrastructure and transportation expenses continued to affect the movement of agricultural produce.