AU sets up Committee to assess Nigeria’s agric sector growth to ensure food security

The African Union, through its Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), has set up a joint sector steering committee to assess the performance and results of Nigeria’s agriculture sector. CAADP with its continental scope and subscribed to by the 41 African Union member states, is said to be a regional machinery set up to promote agricultural sector growth, economic development and food security investment plans.

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, who was represented by Awul Mai-Dabino, a director in the Ministry, said Nigeria welcomed the idea of the joint sector review committee as it has the capacity to assist government in making sector policies and priorities.

Ahmed noted that agriculture development and growth have taken the centre stage in the present administration with its carefully worked out policy document meant to provide a disciplined approach to building an agribusiness ecosystem that will stem the tide of food importation, through import substitution so as to earn significant exchange from agriculture

He also acknowledged that while the committee was apt, the efforts of the African Union will encourage more participation of the private sector players in agriculture, and government will continue to facilitate, regulate and also provide supporting infrastructures for the sector.

“The African Head of States and Government during the 23rd Regular Sessions of the African Union at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, committed to accelerating agricultural growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods.