ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has partnered with the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to improve the management and utilisation of agricultural funds to boost the country’s agricultural sector.
This collaboration was announced during the National Stakeholders Meeting on NADF held in Abuja on Thursday.
The NADF, which is tasked with promoting agricultural development and managing related natural resources sustainably, seeks to use the fund to procure essential goods and services nationwide.
Azubike Nwoke, Agriculture Systems Specialist at ActionAid, said the meeting aimed to provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the fund’s challenges and explore ways to support its effective implementation.
He acknowledged that Nigeria’s agriculture sector faces significant challenges, including insufficient allocation and delayed capital releases, which hinder progress.
Nwoke further spoke on the importance of ensuring Nigeria meets its target of committing 10 per cent of its budget to the agricultural sector. He suggested prioritising access to credit, reducing post-harvest losses, improving market access, and advancing irrigation infrastructure to support rural economic growth.
The meeting also addressed the need for better collaboration between NADF and stakeholders to overcome the challenges that have previously limited the effectiveness of agricultural funds.
Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of NADF, represented by Ernest Ihedigbo, General Manager of Technical Services at NADF, assured the stakeholders of the fund’s commitment to fostering partnerships and policies that would drive innovation and enhance agribusiness financing.
Ibrahim noted that NADF is developing a seed enhancement project for crops like cassava, maise, rice, cowpeas, millet, and oil palm. The focus will be on supporting smallholder women farmers and youth interested in agribusiness. He also mentioned the organisation’s Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) programme, which helped mitigate the effects of the ginger blight epidemic.
Furthermore, NADF has conducted a Baseline and Needs Assessment Survey in partnership with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) to identify gaps and opportunities within the agricultural research and training ecosystem.
The survey, which covered 16 agricultural research institutes and 17 colleges of agriculture across the country, revealed significant challenges, including infrastructure deficiencies and outdated equipment.
Ibrahim stated that addressing these issues through infrastructure development is a key component of the fund’s plan.
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