The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to bridging the gap between agricultural research and practical farm-level application through the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) Project.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, stated this during a Strategic Consultative Meeting on the preparation of the Technical Proposal for Subcomponent 2.1 of the AGROW Project.
Kyari said the initiative was designed to translate agricultural research and innovations into practical solutions that would improve farmers’ productivity, strengthen value chains and enhance food security across the country.
According to him, AGROW is a strategic investment under the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at building a competitive, technology-driven and commercially oriented agricultural sector.
The Minister emphasised the need to strengthen the connection between research institutions, extension services and farmers, noting that innovations developed through research must reach the field and deliver measurable benefits to producers.
He said the initiative would strengthen research, extension and technology transfer systems to ensure that agricultural innovations are effectively translated into solutions that improve farmers’ productivity and competitiveness.
Kyari charged the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other participating research institutions to develop a practical, coordinated and nationally owned framework capable of delivering sustainable impact across Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
He stressed that stronger collaboration among government, research institutions and other stakeholders would be critical to achieving the objectives of the AGROW Project and ensuring that investments in agricultural research produce tangible results for farmers.
The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to developing an agricultural sector driven by innovation, technology and value addition, while improving productivity and strengthening Nigeria’s food and nutrition security.
