EU, Germany Deepen Partnership With Plateau To Boost Agricultural Value Chains

The European Union and the German Development Cooperation have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting sustainable agricultural development in Plateau State through a new phase of cooperation targeting value chain transformation across key commodities including dairy, cocoa, tomato and ginger.

The assurance came on Monday during a high-level visit to Jos by delegations from the EU and GIZ, where Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang received the officials and commended the longstanding partnership that has contributed to the state’s economic and rural development.

Governor Mutfwang expressed appreciation to the European Union and the German government for their continued technical and institutional support, noting that Plateau’s strategic location and agricultural potential made it a viable partner for transformative food system initiatives.

He said the state government was determined to unlock the full potential of its agricultural value chains to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s food security and economic diversification.

“As a government, we are ready and determined to ensure that we unlock the values in the agricultural value chain across various crops and particularly the dairy industry.

We welcome this partnership and technical support, and we look forward to ensuring that the collaboration brings prosperity to our people and contributes to national growth,” Mutfwang said.

He also commended GIZ for maintaining a functional presence in Jos, describing the agency as one of the few development partners with consistent engagement in Plateau State. The governor expressed optimism that the GIZ-led programme launch in the state would further strengthen agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

Andrea Ruediger, Cluster Coordinator for Rural Development and Agriculture at GIZ, said the visit underscored Germany’s and the EU’s commitment to supporting Plateau’s agricultural transformation.

She stated that the new project co-financed by the EU and the German government, scheduled for launched on Tuesday will strengthen selected agricultural value chains.

“With our high-level delegation, we will be visiting various activities implemented here to showcase what impact can be achieved in the agricultural sector, the new EU-based target project will make a very important contribution to the transformation of the dairy, tomato, and ginger value chains in Plateau State”, Ruediger said.

She added that the GIZ’s approach focused on sustainable partnerships that empower local communities and enhance productivity through knowledge sharing, technical support, and value chain development.

Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the European Union’s strategic partnership with Plateau State in areas extending beyond agriculture to renewable energy, technical education, and institutional strengthening.

“For Europe, GIZ, and Plateau, we are committed to restructuring both infrastructure and curriculum of the Agricultural Institute here in the state, beyond agriculture, we are also exploring new areas such as wind energy and rural electrification in collaboration with the German Cooperation,” De Luca said.

He emphasised that EU cooperation with Plateau was built on mutual benefit and accountability rather than aid dependency.

“It is a partnership, not charity. We want to align our interventions with the state’s priorities to ensure efficient results and measurable impact,” he added.

De Luca further highlighted ongoing EU engagements in teacher education, renewable energy, and cultural exchange initiatives, including support for Jos University and the recently announced Jos Film Festival. He described the collaboration as an evolving relationship grounded in shared goals of resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth.

The visiting delegation includes representatives from the EU, GIZ, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Livestock Development and the Bank of Agriculture.

Their visit precedes the official launch of the new programme, the EU-VACE TARED-Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU) Transformative, Agriculture Systems For Rural Economic Development (BMZ) aimed at accelerating value chain development and enhancing local economic opportunities across Plateau State.