Nigeria Launches $500M World Bank Agriculture Initiative

The Federal Government of Nigeria has received the final report from the National Technical Working Group (NTWG) regarding the World Bank-supported $500 million Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains for Growth (AGROW) Programme. Vice President Kashim Shettima received the report on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, indicating a significant step towards integrating farmers into national economic planning.

The AGROW programme aims to address the disconnect between farmers and agricultural policy-making institutions. Shettima noted that the initiative was developed through consultations across seven zones involving 32 states, highlighting the commitment of sub-national governments to agricultural development.

He emphasized that agriculture contributes approximately 23% to Nigeria's GDP and employs about 34% of the workforce. The programme allocates 71% of its funding, amounting to $355 million, to participating states.

Shettima acknowledged the need for more funding to address long-standing deficits in agricultural services and announced the dissolution of the NTWG, transferring implementation responsibilities to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.