The Federal Government will integrate the livestock value chain on sustainable pasture production into the International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD), 2024 – 2029 Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP).
Dr Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), gave the assurance on Thursday, at 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 said it would also consider interventions on post-harvest handling to curb 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 commended the Federal Government and IFAD for COSOP formation process.
He said the document would build the agribusiness economy of the country, empower smallholder farmers to earn better income and ensure sustainable food security for national development.
Mrs Dede Ekoue, Country Director, IFAD Country Office, Nigeria, said the COSOP 2024 – 2029 was the commitment of the Federal Government and IFAD, towards addressing emerging constraints in the agricultural sector.
Ekuoe said the aim was to increase the productivity of smallholder farmers in the food supply chain, for food security and sustainable development.
She described COSOP as a framework for making strategic choices about IFAD operations in the country, identifying opportunities for IFAD financing and facilitating management for results.
Ekoue, who said the current Nigeria COSOP 2016 to 2023 would end in December, added that the 2024 – 2029 COSOP was expected to 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.” (NAN)
