Victoria Mbangwa
In a renewed push to combat hunger and improve food resilience, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to partner with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) to bolster food and nutritional safety across the country.
During a recent courtesy visit by a delegation from CILSS, led by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Abdoulaye Mahamadou, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, CON, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through innovation, resilience, and strategic partnerships.
Dr. Abdullahi emphasized that the collaboration is in line with the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which seeks to modernize agricultural practices, improve food access, and reduce malnutrition nationwide. Key strategies under this agenda include the promotion of biofortified crops like zinc-enriched rice, mechanization of agriculture, and the adoption of climate-smart farming systems to address the dual challenges of food insecurity and environmental stress.
“Our focus is to build resilient food ecosystems that support livelihoods at the household level. We are keen to work together to strengthen the technical capacity of the Federal,State and local government factors and identify sustainable investment framework that would support resilience,” the minister said.
The Executive Secretary of CILSS, Mr. Mahamadou, acknowledged the urgent need to improve nutrition across the Sahel and West African regions, pointing out that CILSS has been at the forefront of monitoring food security, improving agricultural resilience, and promoting sustainable diets.
“CILSS is a key player in the fight against food and nutrition insecurity. We are committed to building stronger food systems in collaboration with national governments and partners, ensuring that our people have access to safe and nutritious food,” he stated.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, noted that the federal government is intensifying efforts to ensure Nigeria’s preparedness for food and nutrition-related crises, with a vision of achieving national food sovereignty.
The high-level meeting also had in attendance senior directors from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, highlighting the strategic importance of the partnership in shaping Nigeria’s agricultural and nutritional future.
The new collaboration marks a significant step in aligning regional efforts with Nigeria’s domestic agricultural reform, as the country continues to confront climate challenges, population pressures, and food system vulnerabilities.
