The Food and Agriculture Organisation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has officially inaugurated the 2025 Nigeria Food and Agriculture Policy Monitoring Review.
The initiative, which was announced in Abuja on Wednesday, is designed to guide evidence-based agricultural transformation under the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy.
In a statement jointly signed by Chukwuka Nwachukwu, communication expert, FAO Nigeria; Kev Castillo, programme development, partnerships and communications lead, FAO; and David Tsokar, communications specialist, FAO Nigeria, the policy review was described as a key step for the country’s agriculture sector.
ccording to the officials, the PMR was developed with technical support from FAO’s Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies programme and offers a comprehensive analysis of public expenditure and commodity price incentives across multiple years.
“This offers critical insights to inform policy implementation and investment planning,” the statement said.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, stressed the importance of the review in improving food production and boosting the economy.
He noted that credible research results would help guide the government’s spending priorities and resource allocation. He explained that the timing of the launch was significant, coming as the Federal Ministry of Finance and Budget Planning was preparing the 2026 budget proposal.
“We must secure our future through food security; increasing yields and improving nutrition are central to our agenda. The MAFAP analysis provides policymakers and development partners with a clear direction for targeted investment and impactful reforms,” Mr Kyari stated.
Hussein Gadain, FAO representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between the organisation and the Nigerian government.
“The landmark policy review reflects our shared commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector. The PMR highlights key trends and challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural policy landscape,” he said.
Mr Gadain also urged for higher financial commitment to the agriculture sector. “While nominal agricultural spending increased between 2015 and 2021, it remained at just two per cent of federal expenditure, far below the 10 per cent commitment outlined in the 2025 Kampala Declaration,” he added.