Nigeria Calls for Stronger International Support for Climate-Smart Agriculture

Strategic Insights -

Nigeria is making a bold move towards climate-smart agriculture, reforming its agricultural policies to align with global climate goals while improving food production and tackling poverty. The country's minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, recently emphasized the need for stronger international support to drive this initiative. Nigeria is spearheading a national initiative for a climate-resilient and nature-positive food system, focusing on distributing improved seeds, adopting sustainable soil management practices, expanding agroforestry, and boosting food output.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nigeria is reshaping its agricultural policies to align with global climate goals, improving food production, and tackling poverty, with a focus on climate-smart agriculture.
  • The country is leading a national initiative for a climate-resilient and nature-positive food system, which includes the distribution of improved seeds, adoption of sustainable soil management practices, expansion of agroforestry, and measures to boost food output.
  • The National Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) is a central strategy in this vision, aiming to enhance agricultural investments, boost agrifood production, create jobs, alleviate poverty, and make healthy diets more affordable.
  • Nigeria's forthcoming Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) will further integrate agriculture into the country's climate commitments, with priority areas including climate-smart farming for crops and horticulture, regenerative agriculture, land restoration, and empowerment of women and youth farmers.
  • The country'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.
  • Nigeria is positioning itself to benefit from Article 6 of the Paris Agreement through carbon trading and results-based mechanisms, aiming to attract additional investment while supporting smallholder farmers.
  • The minister highlighted ongoing initiatives such as 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).
  • Kyari emphasized the need for additional financing to scale up climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices.

Statistics:

  • In 2022, Nigeria partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) under the Monitoring and Analyzing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) programme, which provided in-depth policy analysis to guide reforms.
  • The country aims to attract additional investment through carbon trading and results-based mechanisms.
  • Nigeria's forthcoming Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) will further integrate agriculture into the country's climate commitments.

Sources:

  • "Nigeria calls for stronger international support to drive climate-smart food systems" (Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Nigeria)
  • "Unlocking Sustainable Agrifood Systems for Climate, Nature and Livelihoods" (Source: Standing Committee on Finance Forum of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)
  • "Nigeria's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) has been advanced to embed climate resilience across agriculture, water, health, and infrastructure" (Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Nigeria)
  • "Nigeria is positioning itself to benefit from Article 6 of the Paris Agreement through carbon trading and results-based mechanisms" (Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Nigeria)