In a bid to reposition Nigeria’s food system for resilience and long-term sustainability, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and ActionAid Nigeria have jointly unveiled a nationwide drive that promotes climate friendly farming and improves opportunities for rural communities.
The effort places strong attention on green jobs for young people and the advancement of a national agroecology strategy that will strengthen the capacity of both public and private actors engaged in food production.
The two-day National Summit on Agroecology, Climate Justice and Public Private Partnerships, held in Lagos, opened with a broad consultation to review and validate the draft national agroecology strategy.
The document is expected to guide the country’s shift from conventional farming toward practices that regenerate soils, protect biodiversity and support climate adaptation.
Speaking at the summit on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Ibrahim Tanimu, described the gathering as an important milestone.
He noted that the summit reflects a shared determination to build an agricultural system that is more inclusive, more sustainable and better prepared for climate related pressures.
He explained that agroecological methods can restore soil health, create ecological balance and strengthen the livelihoods of farming households.
A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of findings from a multi-year budget review on public financing for agroecology between 2020 and 2025.
The assessment provides clarity on government spending patterns, unmet financing needs and possible areas where investment could be expanded. According to the ministry, the analysis will help policymakers make informed decisions as preparations begin for the 2026 and 2027 agricultural budgets.
Once adopted, the strategy will become an official guide for planning, research, extension services and resource allocation across all states.
ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Dr Andrew Mamedu, stressed that the value of agroecology is already evident in the field.
He said that smallholder women farmers trained through the organisation’s regional programme have improved yields, preserved indigenous seeds and recorded better household nutrition.
Through the SPAC West Africa initiative, more than one hundred thousand farmers have received training and over two hundred demonstration farms have been created in five states as proof of concept.
Mamedu added that the adoption of the national strategy would signal Nigeria’s serious commitment to global efforts promoting agroecological transformation.
He drew attention to the vulnerability of women, who form the majority of the farming workforce, and urged policymakers to keep their needs at the center of the reform process.
The General Manager of the Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency and chair of the ADPs Programme Managers Forum, Malam Muhammad A Rili, described agroecology as a major opportunity to enhance productivity through nature-based practices.
He affirmed that the state level extension agencies are ready to support the rollout of the strategy in rural communities across the federation.
Women farmers also lent their voices. The leader of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, Zainab Isah Arah, called for a more deliberate inclusion of women in national agricultural planning, saying their daily experiences place them in a strong position to contribute to solutions that enhance food security and environmental protection.
Youth perspectives were presented by the National Coordinator for Young Farmers in Nigeria, Solihu Abdulbasit, who noted that young people are increasingly entering the sector.
He argued that youth led agroecology can reshape the country’s food system and create pathways for innovation and employment.
The renewed commitment comes at a time when global concern over hunger, climate stress and ecosystem decline continues to grow.
In 2024 the Agroecology Coalition, which brings together three hundred organisations, launched a plan to speed up the transition to regenerative food systems by the end of the decade.
The coalition aims to increase investment, strengthen supportive policies and promote inclusive markets that reward sustainable production.
