The Kaduna State Government has revealed that it has formulated policies that will enhance rapid agricultural growth and ensure food security, employment and economic diversification of the state. The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hajiya Halima Lawal, said that the policy documents were in response to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 and 2 and the need to diversify the economy.
Lawal stated that the soon-to-be-released policies are expected to end poverty and hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture and create self-sufficiency in food production. The focus is on commodity value chain stakeholders engaged in crops, livestock, dairy farming, fishery, and other related activities.
The Commissioner added that the policy is concerned with “women in agriculture, food and nutrition, security, markets, infrastructure, revenue generation, climate change, promotion and development of agribusiness, and digital agriculture”. The policy is conceived to address the challenges of inefficient and ineffective agricultural systems.
“The documents will guide all stakeholders in the state’s quest for rapid agricultural development including the private sector through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concept”, she said. Lawal also said that the documents will provide a strong legal framework needed to give potential investors confidence to invest and will commit state and local governments to adequate annual budgetary allocations to the sector.
According to Lawal, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) funded the evolution of the policy through a two-year capacity strengthening project with the assistance of Synergos Nigeria. The Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation also support the project.
