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The Federal Government has inaugurated the Agricultural Technical Committee (ATWC) to provide financial support to farmers and enhance local food production, contributing to the overarching goal of reducing food prices and addressing hunger in the country.
The inauguration ceremony, held recently in Abuja, was presided over by the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi.
Fashedemi highlighted the committee’s key responsibilities, emphasising its role in shaping strategies to boost support and interventions in agriculture and address climate change adaptation.
The committee comprises members from various departments and agencies under the ministry, with Fashedemi serving as the chairman and the managing director of the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) as the vice-chairman.
During the inauguration, Fashedemi charged the committee members to view their task as a national duty and to leverage their extensive experience in fulfilling their responsibilities. The members engaged in deliberations, contributing ideas on how to navigate challenges and achieve success in their mission.
The Agricultural Technical Working Committee (ATWC) has been assigned several terms of reference, including the development of a framework and strategy to enhance support and interventions in agriculture and climate change adaptation. Additionally, the committee will collaborate with other government agencies and private bodies to secure funds for supporting farmers. It will also work closely with the department of cooperatives for a needs assessment of registered farmers and coordinate with the Federal Department of Agriculture to identify essential inputs required by farmers.
In a related development, a delegation led by the managing director of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka visited the ministry on a courtesy visit. The purpose of their visit was to expedite the implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiated in Nigeria in April 2019.
Oyelaran-Oyeyinka explained that the SAPZ programme aims to increase household incomes, stimulate job creation in rural agricultural communities – especially for youth and women – and enhance food nutrition security. The programme, set to be implemented in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), aligns with the goal of inclusive and sustainable agro-industrial development.
In response, Fashedemi urged the AfDB delegation to provide feasibility studies to support the SAPZ programme, highlighting the ministry’s role as the executing agency for the programme under the AFDB, effective since September 2023.
The inauguration of the committee and the collaborative efforts with the AfDB underscore the government’s commitment to revitalising the agricultural sector and driving sustainable development in the country.
He pointed out that the development objective was to support inclusive and sustainable agro-industrial development, noting that the programme will be implemented in seven states (Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun and Oyo) including FCT.
The permanent secretary, therefore, tasked the delegation from AfDB to come up with their feasibility studies.
A statement by the ministry’s director of information signed by Mrs. Anthonia Eremah, explained that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is the executing agency for the SAPZ programme.