In a bid to transform Niger State’s agricultural sector, the Alliance for Green Revolution in Nigeria (AGRA), in partnership with the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, has initiated a review of the state’s agricultural policy to enhance implementation for a sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
AGRA has committed $280,000 (approximately N476 million) to this project, with the Niger State government contributing a counterpart fund of $27,000.
The meeting, titled Institutional Strengthening, Enhanced Policy Implementation For Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems In Niger State Project, was held in Minna, the state’s capital.
Speaking during the programme’s inception meeting, AGRA Coordinator in the state, Godswill Aguiyi, highlighted the project’s focus on strengthening agricultural policies and improving data management systems.
According to him, the project aims to bring together fragmented investments in the state and set up a data system to improve collaboration between federal and state agricultural ministries.
He noted that the project will also involve upgrading existing agricultural policies to align with the priorities of the new administration.
“We are also aware that the Agric sector is divided into four ministries, so we intend to take data from these ministries and let people see the opportunities in the state for investment, partnership, and general awareness for the public on what is happening.
“When we strengthen their systems, we’ll have information from various systems uploaded to a central dashboard. We’ll also want to have data from all development partners to showcase what they are doing so that potential investors can be guided. Outdated policies will also be reviewed and improved in alignment with current realities,” he added.
The Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, Mathew Ahmed, expressed optimism about the grant and highlighted its significance in optimizing the ministry’s operations.
“This AGRA grant will help us coordinate data across ministries such as Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Water Resources, alongside key stakeholders like NAMDA and Niger Foods.
“We will update and review the agricultural policy, keeping in mind what has worked well, what hasn’t worked well, why it did not, and what the challenges are, to ensure we have a smooth running in line with the farmer governor agenda,” Ahmed said.
Victor Adejoh, Country Director of Synergos, emphasized the project’s dual objective of reviewing agricultural policies and addressing climate change issues.
He stressed the need for the state to tackle climate change challenges, improve coordination in the agricultural sector, and strengthen accountability and collaboration among stakeholders.
He also commended the state government’s efforts to improve agriculture while urging it to allocate 10 percent of its budget to the sector for better outcomes.