The federal government yesterday hinted at a plan to establish a national committee to drive and promote Nigeria’s agritourism while tapping into the growing global interest in the sector.
The goal is to develop a framework and standard operating guidelines for agritourism to strengthen the agribusiness sector.
Minister of state for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi gave the hint in Abuja when he declared open the inaugural World Agritourism Day celebration in Nigeria.
The minister lauded the World Agritourism Organisation (WAO) led by its President, Trust Henry Ogboi, for their pivotal role in developing agritourism and making the day’s celebration possible.
He highlighted agritourism’s potential to provide financial, educational, and social benefits, with opportunities to connect visitors with the agricultural landscape through farm tours, festivals and educational programmes.
The minister also emphasised the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with various stakeholders, including other federal ministries and the private sector to create a sustainable system that will ensure standards and regulations are upheld.
In his remarks, WAO president, Trust Henry Ogboi highlighted the importance of agritourism as an industry capable of generating substantial foreign exchange and contributing to Nigeria’s economy beyond its borders.
He expressed optimism that his aspirations for WAO remains to evolve it into the United Nations World Agritourism Organisation (UNWAO).
The event also featured the launch of the Nigerian Agritourism Village initiative, a collaborative effort with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security aimed at establishing agritourism sites across all 36 states and the FCT in a move to attract investments.
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