The World Agriculture Forum Nigeria (WAF) has formally set up its Country Council in a move aimed at strengthening agricultural systems, rural development, and national food security.
At the inauguration held in Abuja, the Executive Director of the World Agriculture Forum, Dr. MJ Khan, described the initiative as both timely and strategic. Represented by Mr. Lekan Ofem, Director of Strategy and Head of Country Councils and Stakeholder Engagement, Khan said the move underscores a renewed determination to reposition agriculture as a catalyst for inclusive growth and environmental sustainability.
“Today, marks not just the inauguration of a council, it signals renewed commitment to transforming agriculture into a powerful engine for economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability,” he said.
Khan noted that the Nigeria Country Council would serve as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and farmer empowerment, while also advancing climate resilience and sustainable development goals. According to him, the council is expected to stimulate agribusiness expansion, promote trade and technology, and function as a national hub for knowledge-sharing and partnerships.
He stressed that meaningful agricultural progress depends on synergy between government and private sector players.
“This council will act as a bridge, unlocking investments and driving impactful initiatives.
“Let us seize this opportunity to build a resilient, inclusive and prosperous agricultural sector, one that creates jobs, ensures food security and meaningfully to national development.
“I congratulate Nigeria on this remarkable step forward. We look forward to working closely with you and supporting your journey towards agricultural transformation,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr. Musa Umar, Director at the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, described the council’s inauguration as a significant step forward.
He reaffirmed agriculture’s critical role in national development, noting its impact on food security, job creation, industrial growth, and economic diversification.
“As a government, our priority is clear, we are committed to building a resilient productive, inclusive and viable agricultural system that can feed our people, create jobs, attract investment and position Nigeria as a major global player in regional and global food systems,” he said.
Umar added that the government is shifting focus from subsistence farming to a more commercial, agribusiness-driven model.
“We are prioritising value chain development, mechanisation, irrigation expansion, access to quality inputs, post- harvest management, storage systems agro processing and market linkages.
” Let us move beyond conversations into coordinated action. Let us ensure that policy translates into productivity and productivity into prosperity,” he said.
Earlier, the Country Director of the World Agriculture Forum Nigeria, Dr. Alexander Isong, said the council would bridge existing gaps between agricultural production and value addition.
“We are here today to inaugurate the World Agricultural Forum in Nigeria. This is the birthing of the world body in Nigeria to improve our agricultural production.
“We are going to be formulating policy, growing projects, implementing projects and funding projects for the growth of agriculture in Nigeria.
“The only way agriculture in Nigeria can actually be resilient is if we are able to have a sustainable food system that will be able to compete with the outside world,” he said.
Isong explained that food security in modern agricultural economics rests on four key pillars: availability, access, utilisation, and stability. He added that tackling post-harvest losses could significantly boost the economy.
“Agriculture must move from fragmented production systems to coordinated market-linked ecosystems, where farmers are connected to storage, logistics, processing and markets in a seamless flow,” he said.
“We must reposition agriculture beyond farming, into logistics, into storage, processing and exports,” he said.
In her remarks, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, emphasised that food security has become a national concern requiring urgent attention.
Represented by Chief Mrs. Adimchinaka Onwukwe, she noted that rising food costs, weak supply chains, and post-harvest losses continue to impact stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.
“We must empower women who form a large part of the agricultural workforce and engage our youth by making agriculture more innovative, technology- driven and commercially attractive,” she said.
