By Atoyebi Nike
The Federal Government has unveiled a major agricultural investment package totaling N1.7 trillion, including N1.5 trillion to recapitalize the Bank of Agriculture and N200 billion for direct intervention programs, aimed at transforming the nation’s food systems and improving farmers’ access to credit.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed the funding during a visit by a high-level Gambian delegation to the ministry in Abuja. He noted that 2.15 million bags of fertilizer have already been distributed nationwide as part of the support scheme.
Kyari emphasized that the recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture will enhance rural lending and financial inclusion for farmers, while the intervention fund will support mechanization, youth engagement, and food sovereignty.
The Gambian delegation, led by Minister of Agriculture Demba Sabally, praised Nigeria’s progress, especially in rice production and farm mechanization. Sabally requested a “Rice Ambassador” from Nigeria to help The Gambia meet its 2030 rice self-sufficiency target.
The bilateral talks included technical briefings and a tour of the National Agricultural Seed Council’s mechanization facility in Sheda. Gambia’s Permanent Secretary of Agriculture, Nyangado Alhagie, called the experience “transformational.”
Kyari reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional agricultural collaboration under the ECOWAS framework, highlighting President Tinubu’s 2023 food security emergency declaration as a turning point.
Nigeria’s agricultural roadmap focuses on four pillars: sustainable mechanization, youth inclusion, food sovereignty, and data-driven policymaking. The ministry is also building a national digital registry to reach 42 million farming households.
Minister of State, Aliyu Abdullahi, described the Gambia visit as a model for African agricultural cooperation, noting Nigeria’s growing rice sector could help other nations strengthen their food systems.
