Nigeria Receives Final Report on $500m AGROW Programme

Nigeria has officially received the final report from the National Technical Working Group regarding the World Bank-supported $500 million Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains for Growth Programme (AGROW). This marks the end of the program's design phase and its transition to implementation.

Vice President Kashim Shettima stated that the AGROW initiative aims to bridge the gap between farmers and national economic planning and policy decisions. During a briefing at the State House in Abuja, Shettima highlighted the importance of agriculture, which contributes 23% to Nigeria's GDP and supports 34% of the workforce.

He noted that the program was developed through consultations involving 32 states, reflecting a commitment to agricultural development. Shettima described the report as a restoration of the farmer's central role in national economic considerations and emphasized the need for productivity in agriculture to enhance food security and reduce poverty.