World Food Day: FG Has Returned Agric Sector To Growth Trajectory — Minister

As the Nigeria marked the 2026 World Food Day on Friday, the minister of state for agriculture and food security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi has said that the federal government has returned agricultural sector to a strong growth trajectory for the first time since 2021.

The minister cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the sector recorded 4.39 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2026.

Abdullahi in a statement, attributed the growth to government reforms and investments aimed at boosting food production, strengthening agricultural value chains and improving farmers’ productivity.

According to him, crop production grew by 3.66 per cent during the period, reflecting progress in efforts to transform agriculture into a productive, resilient and investment-driven sector capable of feeding the country and contributing to economic growth.

The minister said the government was implementing a comprehensive agricultural transformation agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with interventions spanning research, farm inputs, mechanisation, storage, processing, financing and marketing.

He added that the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) had supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods over four farming seasons.

The 2026 WFD is themed, Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” with stakeholders calling for innovations and investments capable of building resilient food systems and ensuring access to affordable, safe and nutritious food.

The minister added that Nigeria’s annual domestic wheat production has also increased to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes from a previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes, representing a 3.5-fold increase, Abdullahi said.

“We are implementing a comprehensive approach to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a productive, resilient, competitive and investment-driven sector capable of feeding our population and contributing substantially to economic growth”, the minister said.

On mechanisation, the minister said the government had commissioned the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, involving 2,000 tractors and implements, to improve farming efficiency, reduce labour-intensive operations and make agriculture more attractive to young people.

“Our approach is anchored on producing more food, reducing food losses, strengthening agricultural value chains and enabling farmers to produce profitably, through interventions across the entire value chain from research and inputs to storage, processing, financing, marketing and consumption

I am pleased to report that our reforms are yielding results. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), agriculture is back on a strong growth trajectory for the first time since 2021, with the sector recording 4.39% overall growth in the second quarter of 2026 and crop production expanding by 3.66%.

This growth is evidence that our reforms and investments are making impact.”he added.

Abdullahi said the government was also addressing high food prices by expanding dry-season farming and investing in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, storage facilities and cold-chain infrastructure.

The minister acknowledged that insecurity in some major food-producing areas of northern Nigeria remained a challenge, adding that the government was deploying additional personnel from the military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Agro-Rangers to protect farmlands.

Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has called for increased investment in innovation to improve food security, nutrition and access to affordable, healthy diets.

Jimmy Owani, who represented the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States at the World Food Day celebration in Abuja, said an estimated 645 million people faced hunger in 2025 globally , while 2.69 billion people could not afford a healthy diet.

Owani said Nigeria had considerable potential to become a leading agrifood producer in Africa, given its agricultural resources, water availability, private sector and large youth population. However, he identified climate shocks, insecurity, post-harvest losses and limited access to finance as major constraints.

He said innovation should extend beyond sophisticated digital technologies to include improved seeds, irrigation, mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable resource management and stronger agricultural institutions.

The FAO representative also called for greater access to land, finance, technology, skills and markets for women, as well as expanded opportunities for young people in agribusiness, food processing and other agricultural value-chain activities.

Owani said: “The challenge before us is therefore not simply producing more food, but ensuring that food is accessible, affordable, nutritious and sustainably produced for all.”