Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have called for stronger collaboration among government, private sector players, farmers and citizens to ensure food sufficiency and end hunger in Nigeria.
They made the call on Thursday in Lafia at the 2025 World Food Day celebration and exhibition, organised the Commodity Agricultural Forum (CAF) in collaboration with the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Nasarawa State.
The event had as its theme “Collaborating for Zero Hunger: Government, Private Sector and Citizens.”
Mr Ogiri Ari, Chairman of CAF, in his welcome remarks, said the celebration was a reminder that addressing hunger and achieving food security required the joint effort of all stakeholders.
Ari said that the collaboration between the Federal Government through VCDP, the Nasarawa State Government, and CAF had transformed the state’s agricultural landscape.
According to him, the VCDP’s interventions in improved inputs, mechanisation, irrigation, capacity building, market linkages and support for youth and women-led agribusinesses have enhanced productivity in rice and cassava value chains.
The establishment of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) in Lafia, as a hub for innovation and agricultural technology, expansion of rural access roads, and enhanced extension services are among the government’s remarkable efforts.
“Yet, despite these strides, hunger still lurks in some corners of our society. We must deepen collaboration; government must provide the right environment, the private sector must scale up investment, and we, as farmers and citizens, must sustain food production,” Ari said.
Also speaking, Mr Umar Tanko-Tunga Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, who chaired the occasion, commended CAF and VCDP for their commitment to agricultural transformation in the state.
He said agriculture remained central to Gov. Abdullahi Sule’s development agenda and had been prioritised as a driver of inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction.
“The VCDP has shown that collaboration works in practice. It has strengthened smallholder farmers, improved productivity, and empowered women and youths across agricultural value chains,” he said.
Tanko-Tunga reiterated the ministry’s commitment to building a modern, technology-driven and climate-resilient agricultural sector that would ensure no child in the state goes to bed hungry.
In her remarks, Dr Eunice Adgidzi, Nasarawa State Programme Coordinator of VCDP, represented her Technical Assistant, Mr Victor Alaku, congratulated CAF for pioneering the first-of-its-kind World Food Day celebration in the state.
Adgidzi said CAF’s establishment to unite producers, processors and marketers under one umbrella was a strategic step towards building sustainable food systems.
“When producers, processors and marketers work collaboratively, challenges in the food system are drastically reduced. This is the foundation for food security and economic sustainability,” she said.
She added that VCDP had supported thousands of farmers in Nasarawa State with inputs, processing centres and market infrastructure, and expressed optimism that CAF would sustain the gains when the programme winds down.
Similarly, Prof. Shehu Abdul-Rahman, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, who delivered a paper titled: “Working Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future in Nasarawa State,” emphasised the need for joint action to build resilient food systems.
“The challenges are formidable, but our collective resolve as government, farmers, academia, businesses and communities holds the key to triumph.
“By embracing collaboration, innovation and sustainability, we can secure a hunger-free future,” he said.
The event featured an exhibition of farm produce, food processing innovations and agricultural technologies. (NAN).