The Federal Government will incorporate the livestock value chain for sustainable pasture production into the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for the period 2024-2029.
The guarantee was given by Dr Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), on Thursday during the 2nd Nigeria-lFAD COSOP 2024-2029 Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja.
Umakhihe said this would ensure sustainable planting of fodder crops, to increase livestock feed and reduce environmental degradation.
He said the ministry had agreed to integrate and broaden the value chain to include fish for nutrition enhancement and income generation in farming households, and specific nutrition sensitive interventions.
He also stated that measures on post-harvest handling would be considered in order to reduce food losses.
“The ministry has agreed to integrate into the new COSOP formulation the promotion of affordable and simple tools under mechanisation for smallholder farmers, for increased production and interventions of waste to wealth with business potentials.
“We will ensure greater gender representation to leverage on their experiences in the new programme.
“We will also leverage on current actions on climate change adaption to opportunities for climate financing and reduction of green gas emissions, with other pertinent issues militating against agricultural development in the country,” he said.
The permanent secretary praised the Federal Government and IFAD for their efforts in establishing COSOP.
He stated that the paper would help to strengthen the country’s agribusiness industry, empower smallholder farmers to make more money, and secure long-term food security for national development.
Mrs. Dede Ekoue, Country Director, IFAD Country Office, Nigeria, stated that the COSOP 2024-2029 represents the Federal Government’s and IFAD’s commitment to tackling developing challenges in the agricultural sector.
According to Ekuoe, the goal is to boost the productivity of smallholder farmers in the food supply chain for food security and long-term development.
COSOP, she explained, is a framework for making strategic decisions concerning IFAD operations in the country, identifying opportunities for IFAD financing, and facilitating results management.
Ekoue stated that the existing Nigeria COSOP 2016-2023 would expire in December and that the 2024-2029 COSOP would be presented to the IFAD Executive Board for approval.
She said the goals and strategic objectives included promoting inclusive and resilient growth for rural economy, through market driven, innovative and smallholder centered agri-food system transformation.
Ekoue said the workshop was planned to share the advanced vision of IFAD country COSOP, for further consideration and integration of inputs into design processes.
She said the workshop was also to share and discuss key take-aways for COSOP consultations, key conclusions and implications of multi-stakeholder strategic dialogues on scaling up Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), for the empowerment of smallholder farmers.
“The aim of the workshop is to share potential entry points for next COSOP, consider national priorities and achievements of Nigeria-IFAD cooperation and IFAD comparative advantage.
“It is also to exchange key lessons, scale up investments and partnerships by key stakeholders in agri-food systems in support of smallholder farmers, including youths, women and Persons Living With Disabilities.”
