Tuesday, October19, 2021 / 04:25 PM / by AfDB Group / Header Image Credit: UK in Nigeria

Dr. Adesina and theNigerian minister discussed means of tackling growing concerns about thecountry's food security

The meeting follows on the heels of an address by Dr. Adesina last week at amid-term ministerial retreat presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr. Adesina and the Nigerian minister discussed means of tackling growingconcerns about the country's food security.

Adesina said the Bank's strategic support for Nigeria's food production wouldbe hinged on five factors: support, scale, systemic, speed, and sustainability.

He added, "I want to assure President Buhari that the African Development Bankwill provide his government with very strong support to tackle the country'sfood security challenges".

"Inflation in Nigeria is high, at 16% or more. Of course, the biggest share ofthe consumer price index is the price of food, at almost 65%. So, if we candrive down the price of food, of course, we can drive down inflation".

Abubakar said his consultative mission to Abidjan was at the instruction ofPresident Buhari.

"Our mission is to examine ways Nigeria could enhance food production, lowerfood prices, and create wealth", the minister said.

Abubakar welcomed the Bank's proposed strategy and described it as a landmarkone that would spur Nigeria's food supply production. "It will reverse the uglytrend of a sharp increase in prices of food in the country. I am pleased withthe Bank's strategy to facilitate the production of 9 million metric tons offood in Nigeria, and to support us in raising self-sufficiency. The Bank'sSpecial Agro-Processing Zones initiative is a laudable one and Nigeria isgrateful".

Citing successes in Sudan, Adesina explained how the African Development Bankhad supported the country with 65,000 metric tonnes of heat-tolerant wheatvarieties, cultivated on 317,000 hectares.

"It took two seasons to do this", he said. "Change will not happen in years.You will see change in seasons. Sudan now produces 1.1 million metric tons ofwheat. The same thing happened in Ethiopia in just two seasons with theproduction of 184, 000 hectares of wheat", he added.

In response to Bank successes in Sudan and Ethiopia, Abubakar said: "This givesme an additional measure of confidence. If you can do it in Sudan, you can equallydo it in Nigeria. Not just in wheat, but also rice, maize, and soybeans".

 

The African Development Bank will provide Nigeria with support through inputdelivery, including highly improved seeds and fertilizers to farmers, and anintegrated input delivery platform.

Extensively discussed at the meeting was the Bank's Special Agro-IndustrialProcessing Zone initiative as an effective medium-term plan for revolutionizingNigeria's agriculture value chain.

Adesina said: "The task, responsibility, and challenge of feeding Nigeria restson your shoulders. You will receive maximum support from me, and the AfricanDevelopment Bank for the responsibility that President Buhari has given you.You will not be alone".

He added: "The Bank stands ready to fully support and help Nigeria in the nextfarming seasons. So, we must make sure things turn around. The president mustsucceed, and Nigeria must succeed. Agriculture must succeed".

Abubakar thanked the African Development Bank for its support and said themeeting gave him reassurances of what Nigeria can achieve with the Bank'ssupport in the farming seasons ahead.

The minister also called for the Bank's support to recapitalize the country'sBank of Agriculture.

Both parties set up a task force team to develop a plan for acceleratedimplementation within the next 60 days.

Also at the meeting were a member of Nigeria's National Assembly, Hon. MunirBaba Dan Agundi, Chair of the House Committee on Agricultural Colleges andInstitutions;  the African Development Bank's executive director forNigeria,  Sao Tome and Principe, Dr. Oyebode Oyetunde; Vice President ofAgriculture, Human and Social Development, Beth Dunford; Senior Special Advisorto the President of the Bank on Industrialization, Professor Oyebanji Oyelaran;Director-General of the Bank's Nigeria Country Office in Abuja, Lamin Barrow;the Bank's Director of Agriculture and Agro-Industries, Martin Fregene; theDirector for Agricultural Finance and Rural Development, Atsuko Toda; andsenior officials from Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

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