The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has announced a commitment to reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by 25%, aiming to ensure food security and enhance domestic production.
This pledge was made during the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) High-Level Implementation Acceleration Dialogue held in Abuja on Monday.
The SAPZ initiative, supported by the African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Islamic Development Bank, focuses on strengthening agricultural value chains through integrated investments in farming, processing, and marketing.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, called for a united approach to tackle the sector’s pressing challenges, while Finance Minister Wale Edun highlighted the crucial role of agriculture in stabilising the economy.
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“Achieving our production goals will significantly impact inflation and trade balances,” Edun noted, urging collaboration between federal and state governments and private sector stakeholders.
African Development Bank Country Director, Abdul Kamara, stressed the SAPZ programme’s potential to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by reducing post-harvest losses to as low as 10-20%.
“All stakeholders must work together to overcome obstacles to implementation and realise the programme’s full potential,” Kamara stated.
The dialogue concluded with a call for continued cooperation to drive food security and sustainable economic growth.
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