By Toyin Akande

Copyright bizwatchnigeria

The Federal Government has announced new incentives to attract investment in agriculture, pledging reforms that could create up to 21 million jobs and strengthen food security across the country. Vice President Kashim Shettima unveiled the plans on Tuesday at the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s National and Subregional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum in Abuja. He described hunger as “the great equaliser” and called agriculture central to Nigeria’s economic future.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the new measures include streamlined land registration processes, stronger agricultural credit systems, large-scale mechanisation, and expanded irrigation projects.

Shettima noted that Nigeria has the capacity to irrigate more than three million hectares of farmland but currently uses less than 10 percent. “Strategic investment in irrigation alone could triple yields, free us from seasonal dependency, and fortify our resilience against climate shocks,” he said.

The Vice President emphasised that the administration’s blueprint under the 2021–2025 National Development Plan aims to lift 35 million people out of poverty, create 21 million rural jobs, and ensure food sufficiency. He assured investors that reforms, public-private partnerships, and agri-tech innovations would make Nigeria “open for business.”

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, highlighted Nigeria’s domestic market, arable land, and growing digital economy as unique opportunities for agribusiness. Similarly, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, stressed that agriculture remains central to economic diversification and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Regional and international partners also voiced support. The Gambia’s Agriculture Minister, Demba Sabally, lauded Nigeria’s progress in rice and cassava value chains as examples for the sub-region. FAO representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Hussein Gadain, described the initiative as a catalyst for Africa’s agri-food transformation, while the EU Delegation announced fresh investments of over €80 million across value chains in seven Nigerian states.

Farmers Call for Implementation

Despite the optimism, farmer groups cautioned that the reforms must move beyond policy announcements.

Kabir Kebram, President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, urged the government to “follow through” on promises, warning that policies without execution would yield little impact.

Peter Dama, Chairman of the Competitive African Rice Forum, noted that delays between announcements and delivery often undermine farming cycles. “While we welcome the pronouncements, they must be matched with timely action,” he said.

The Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria also expressed concern that government programmes have yet to benefit smallholder women farmers, who form the backbone of food supply. National Secretary, Chinasa Asonye, said many policies remain unimplemented and criticised the government’s failure to meet the 10% budgetary allocation to agriculture under the Malabo Declaration.

She added that past initiatives such as the school feeding programme had supported smallholders by purchasing their produce, but such benefits were no longer reaching them.

Stakeholders therefore urged the Federal Government to prioritise transparency, timely delivery, and grassroots inclusion if the new agricultural reforms are to deliver on their promise of jobs, food security, and poverty reduction.