By Atoyebi Nike
The 2025 Africa Agriculture Dialogue (AAD) Agenda-setting Session commenced in Abuja with dignitaries and stakeholders expressing strong optimism about its capacity to reshape Africa’s agricultural future.
At a cocktail reception held ahead of the main event, Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Miaha, described the Dialogue as a landmark engagement that would unlock the continent’s financial and policy potential. He said hosting the event in Nigeria offers an opportunity to address funding gaps and harmonise policies that drive investment across Africa.
“The Dialogue aims to mobilise development banks and investors to make Africa a global agricultural investment hub. We are building a foundation to feed Africa using African land, African resources, and by Africans,” Miaha stated, adding that youth engagement is central to the continent’s agricultural transformation.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock Development, Idris Ajibola Ajimobi, said the event seeks to unlock financial and technical resources to strengthen agriculture and livestock sectors. He noted that AAD provides a vital platform for African countries to connect and access funding opportunities.
President of the Federation of Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, described the Dialogue as a timely intervention to bridge gaps between financial institutions and the agricultural sector. He called for sustained youth engagement, curriculum reforms, and improved land access for young farmers.
