Nigeria, IITA, World Bank Join Hands To Boost Agricultural Practices, Combat Food Insecurity

The Nigerian government alongside the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the World Bank have pledged to work together to improve innovative agricultural practices to address food insecurity issues in Nigeria as well as the sub-Saharan African region.

This partnership announcement was made on Wednesday during a high-level meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and a delegation from the IITA, World Bank, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at the Presidential Villa.

The vice president, who was represented by his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha, said during the meeting that the initiative was focused on increasing yield and IITA is well-placed to help not just Nigeria, but also other countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the help of smart agriculture, climate-resilient agriculture and improved seedlings.

"The IITA is at a vantage position to assist not just Nigeria but sub-Saharan Africa towards repositioning the agriculture ecosystem through smart agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, and improved seedlings," Shettima said, Leadership reported.

He noted that the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture was established in 1967 to help Nigeria's agricultural landscape. "More than ever before, we need the IITA now. By 2050, we will be the third most populous nation on earth," the vice president added.

Shettima also pointed out how the economy and environment were closely connected to each other, especially with problems like desertification, climate change and insecurity in the Sahel region.

"In the food basket of the nation, there is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology because of desertification and climate change. The productivity of our agriculture is poor, and is compounded by insecurity, which might not be unconnected with the challenges in the Sahel," he said.

While the vice president emphasized the need for working closely with the IITA, he stressed on the importance of treating agriculture as a business. He urged the institute to help in getting high-quality seeds for maize and root crops, particularly cassava.

He went on to praise the success of using better cassava seeds in the Southwest region, urging the IITA to do similar projects in other countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

Director General of the IITA Dr. Simeon Ehui thanked the Vice President for his leadership and commitment to Nigerian agriculture development and for supporting the institute.

Earlier this year, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the Food Security and Agricultural Mechanisation Program in Niger State and condemned farmer-herder clashes across the country.