The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) of Brazil to strengthen the development of agribusiness in the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.

The agreement, signed at the FGV headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, focuses on private sector development in fertilizer production, hybrid seed technology and agricultural financing .

The Permanent Secretary of FMAFS, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while the President of FGV, Professor Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal, represented Brazil. Fashedemi highlighted that the partnership allows Brazil to collaborate with Nigeria’s growing agricultural sector.

“This partnership paves the way for Brazil to engage in Nigeria’s dynamic and rapidly growing agricultural sector. With FGV, we are ready to unlock the potential of private sector investments in key areas critical to our food security,” » said Fashedemi.

The MoU is linked to the Green Imperative Project (GIP), a $1.2 billion collaborative initiative launched in 2018 to modernize Nigeria’s agricultural sector using Brazilian expertise in tropical agriculture.

Imperative ecological objectives of the project

The Green Imperative project, supported by Deutsche Bank, will deliver transformative agricultural technologies and capacity building programs over its 10-year duration. The main objectives include:

• Empowering a local agribusiness in each of Nigeria’s 774 LGAs will receive technical and financial support over the next five years.

• The project is expected to attract $4.3 billion in private sector investment in fertilizer production, hybrid seed technology and agricultural financing.

• Nigeria aims to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and improve food production to ensure food security.

Professor Leal highlighted Brazil’s commitment, saying: “Brazil looks forward to transferring its expertise in tropical agriculture to support Nigeria’s journey towards food security and economic growth. »

What you need to know

The Nigerian government’s drive to boost its agricultural sector has gained considerable momentum thanks to recent partnerships aimed at transforming the industry. Brazilian meat giant, JBS has committed $2.5 billion to Nigeria’s livestock sector, while the Federal Government has also partnered with Mastercard to improve the financial inclusion of farmers across the continent.

• JBS has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish six factories over five years: three for poultry production, two for beef and one for pork production. This investment will also include feasibility studies, budget planning and development of Nigeria’s local supply chain.
• In line with efforts to strengthen food security in Nigeria, the Federal Government implements various initiatives aimed at boosting food production and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, highlighted several key priority actions during his speech.

“As part of our goal, we are prioritizing the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers, repositioning agricultural institutions and fostering deeper engagement between farmers, ranchers and local communities. » » explained Kyari.

The minister also highlighted other collaborative efforts, including improving water resources irrigation systems, improving soil fertility and developing agricultural information systems.

“Additional initiatives include partnerships on irrigation projects, strengthening soil fertility and information systems, establishing research institute laboratories and repositioning relevant universities, faculties and colleges” Kyari elaborated further.

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