The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has announced plans to leverage £204 million in private sector investment to boost agriculture in Nigeria, targeting 3.79 million smallholder farmers.

Mrs. Adiya Ode, Country Representative for Propcom+, a UK-funded programme, disclosed this on Monday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Katsina.

Ode explained that Propcom+ is an eight-year climate-resilient agricultural market development initiative under UK Aid, aimed at supporting economic growth for smallholders and SMEs in conflict- and climate-affected regions.

She stated that the programme, which runs from 2023 to 2030, supports climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture and forestry that benefit people, the climate, and nature.

“We’re improving the resilience of smallholders and small-scale entrepreneurs to climate change while increasing productivity and incomes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and maintaining natural ecosystems,” she said. 

Ode added that the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) plans to leverage £204 million in private sector investment to boost agriculture in Nigeria.

“It also aims to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in the country’s food and land-use system,” she said. 

Ode explained that the programme aims to increase productivity, improve nutrition and food security, enhance climate resilience, reduce emissions, and protect nature.

She stated that it will also help tackle some of Nigeria’s underlying drivers of conflict and insecurity by supporting sustainable, pro-poor, climate-resilient growth in selected rural markets.

“We work as a ‘market facilitator,’ identifying constraints in market systems and enabling changes that help rural markets benefit poor and climate-vulnerable smallholders and entrepreneurs,” she said. 

Target beneficiaries and funding allocation 

According to her, Propcom+ aims to increase the incomes and climate resilience of 3.79 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians, with 50% of the beneficiaries being women.

“The programme aims to support over four million people in adopting sustainable agricultural practices, while about £95 million was earmarked for its implementation,” she added. 

She revealed that the programme is already active in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Gombe, and Adamawa, with Katsina recently approved as a beneficiary.

Ode noted that this development followed a meeting between Governor Dikko Radda and the FCDO, where they discussed the programme’s implementation in Katsina.

“Today, we had a very good meeting with farmers, businessmen, processors, academics, women’s groups, and cooperatives. 

“They support the decision to implement the programme in Katsina. 

“In the coming days, we’ll meet government officials to better understand the challenges and how we can address them,” she stated. 

Tackling key agricultural challenges

According to her, Propcom+ aims to tackle three major challenges: low agricultural productivity, conflict over natural resources, and the impact of climate change.

She noted that the programme seeks to transform the rural economy by increasing smallholder farmers’ and SMEs’ incomes, ensuring people can earn a decent living and reducing poverty.