Minister Seeks Global Support For Sustainable Climate-smart Food Systems

Nigeria has called for stronger international support to drive climate-smart food systems that safeguard the environment, restore ecosystems and guarantee secure livelihoods for farmers.

The minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, made the appeal at the high-level event, “Unlocking Sustainable Agrifood Systems for Climate, Nature and Livelihoods”, during the Standing Committee on Finance Forum of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Rome, Italy.

Kyari said Nigeria was reshaping its agricultural policies to align with global climate goals while improving food production and tackling poverty.

He recalled that in 2022, the ministry partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) under the Monitoring and Analyzing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) programme, which has since provided in-depth policy analysis to guide reforms.

According to a statement issued by the ministry’s head of information department, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the minister noted that Nigeria is spearheading a national initiative for a climate-resilient and nature-positive food system.

He outlined current strategies to include the distribution of improved seeds, adoption of sustainable soil management practices, expansion of agroforestry and measures to boost food output.

He stressed that the National Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) remains central to this vision.

“NASIP aims to enhance agricultural investments, boost agrifood production, create jobs, alleviate poverty, and make healthy diets more affordable. At the same time, it seeks to lower greenhouse gas emissions from agrifood production and promote reforestation,” the minister said.

Kyari also revealed that Nigeria’s forthcoming Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) would further integrate agriculture into the country’s climate commitments.

Priority areas include climate-smart farming for crops and horticulture, regenerative agriculture, land restoration, and empowerment of women and youth farmers.

He noted that Nigeria’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) has been advanced to embed climate resilience across agriculture, water, health, and infrastructure, with emphasis on community-led and ecosystem-based solutions.

On climate finance, the minister explained that Nigeria is positioning itself to benefit from Article 6 of the Paris Agreement through carbon trading and results-based mechanisms.

“By leveraging carbon credits from climate-smart agriculture, afforestation, and ecosystem restoration, Nigeria aims to attract additional investment while supporting smallholder farmers,” he said.

Highlighting ongoing initiatives, Kyari pointed to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), and the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro Pockets (NAGS-AP).

He emphasised that additional financing is needed to scale up climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices.

“Let all nations commit to coherent national strategies that align climate objectives with agricultural development, backed by catalytic finance and policy reform.

Let international financial institutions such as IFAD, FAO, and GEF scale up concessional and blended finance, share risk, and support scalable, high-impact programmes that reach smallholder farmers and rural communities”, he added.