FMAFS: Accelerating Nigeria CAADP Kampala Declaration Implementation

• Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is advancing the implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration 2026–2035.
• This initiative involves collaboration with state governments, non-state actors, and development partners to transform Nigeria's agrifood systems.
• A 10-Year National Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan has been validated to domesticate these commitments, focusing on sustainable production and food security.
• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritized food security, with the Ministry tasked to increase production and affordability.
• The Community of Practice serves as a key mechanism for harmonized implementation, accountability, and sharing best practices among states.

Given Nigeria's significant scale, the decisions made within its agricultural sector carry implications far beyond its borders.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) is spearheading a collaborative effort to accelerate agricultural development and enhance policy execution across Nigeria. This initiative focuses on the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration, which outlines a strategic agenda for 2026 to 2035. The Ministry is working in conjunction with state governments, various non-state actors, and international development partners, notably Germany, to achieve these ambitious goals.

A critical platform for this collaborative endeavor is the Annual Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting, which convened on Monday, October 5, 2026, in Maiduguri, Borno State. During this gathering, Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the indispensable nature of alignment among federal and state governments and their partners. He asserted that such unified action is crucial for establishing sustainable food security and fostering resilient livelihoods throughout the nation.

The Minister further elaborated that this essential alignment must manifest in several key areas: the development of compatible policies, the establishment of reliable data systems, the coordination of complementary investments, and a clear delineation of responsibilities for delivery. He underscored the necessity of forging a single, cohesive agrifood system where national strategic direction effectively reinforces execution at the state level, ensuring a unified approach to agricultural growth.

The responsibility for this integrated approach has gained heightened importance with the introduction of the Kampala CAADP Declaration and its accompanying Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2026–2035. This framework adopts a comprehensive agrifood systems perspective, encompassing a broad range of priorities essential for agricultural advancement. These priorities include sustainable production practices, robust investment and finance mechanisms, ensuring food and nutrition security, facilitating trade, promoting inclusion, building resilience against shocks, and strengthening governance structures within the sector.

In response to these commitments, Nigeria has developed and officially validated a 10-Year National Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan. This comprehensive document serves as the primary domestic vehicle for translating the broader CAADP Kampala Declaration into actionable policies and programs within the country. It is designed to provide a harmonized implementation framework, clearly outlining roles, responsibilities, specific timelines, and robust accountability mechanisms for all stakeholders involved.

The strategy also plays a crucial role in integrating the CAADP Biennial Review indicators directly into Nigeria's national planning, budgeting, and reporting systems. Through its validation process, the aim is to achieve greater alignment between national and state budgets, thereby reducing duplication of efforts and strategically directing investments towards agreed-upon priorities. This ensures that resources are utilized efficiently to achieve the overarching objectives of the national agrifood system strategy.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unequivocally positioned food security at the forefront of Nigeria's national agenda, signaling a profound commitment to addressing this critical issue. Minister Kyari articulated the Ministry's mandate to transform this presidential directive into tangible outcomes, specifically focusing on increasing agricultural production, enhancing the affordability of food, strengthening rural economies, and building a more resilient food system capable of withstanding various challenges.

The Minister highlighted observable progress, noting reductions of up to 50 percent in the prices of certain essential food commodities. These gains have been supported by expanded input delivery to farmers, strategic investments in rural infrastructure, and direct assistance to smallholder farmers. The immediate challenge now is to sustain these positive developments and deepen their impact across the agricultural landscape.

Given Nigeria's significant scale, the decisions made within its agricultural sector carry implications far beyond its borders. These choices influence regional markets, contribute to the broader agrifood transformation across Africa, and ultimately shape Nigeria's standing within the global food economy. The successful implementation of the National Agrifood System Strategy is therefore not just a domestic concern but a matter of regional and international significance.

The Community of Practice (CoP) serves as a vital sub-national mechanism for operationalizing the National Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan. The Minister underscored that the true value of such a community is realized when experiences and successful practices from one state can effectively shorten the learning curve for another. This collaborative environment fosters shared knowledge and accelerates progress across the federation.

A key function of the CoP is to facilitate the assessment of progress against agreed indicators. This involves identifying what initiatives are proving effective, the specific locations where they are succeeding, their associated costs, and the requirements for scaling them up. Equally important is the candid evaluation of what is not working and the underlying reasons for such shortcomings, allowing for adaptive management and course correction.

The 10-Year National Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan is specifically designed to provide this harmonized implementation framework, ensuring clarity in roles, responsibilities, timelines, and accountability mechanisms. By integrating CAADP Biennial Review indicators into national planning and budgeting, the framework aims to align national and state budgets, minimize redundant efforts, and channel investments toward mutually agreed priorities, thereby fostering a cohesive and effective agricultural development agenda.

Lawyers advising clients in Nigeria's agricultural sector should monitor the implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration and the National Agrifood System Strategy for new regulations, investment incentives, and compliance requirements impacting food production, trade, and land use. This initiative signals a concerted government effort that will likely shape the legal and regulatory landscape for agricultural businesses.

Source: Original reporting based on official statements.