The United Nations, India, and Nigeria have launched a joint initiative to address Nigeria’s growing food and nutrition insecurity through a knowledge exchange workshop held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan. The event, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), brought together agricultural experts to explore strategies for boosting productivity, reducing import dependence, and expanding employment through stronger value chains, Vanguard reported.
Dr. Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, said that “with nearly 60 percent of households experiencing food insecurity, Nigeria spends over $1 billion annually on fish imports to meet domestic demand.” Fish accounts for almost half of the nation’s animal protein consumption, yet local aquaculture output remains insufficient to bridge the gap, Vanguard noted.
During the workshop, India and Nigeria shared practical experiences in sustainable aquaculture, focusing on affordable feed production, cost reduction, and the adaptation of Indian aquaculture technologies to Nigerian conditions. Stakeholders agreed that improving fish farming and other value chains could significantly strengthen food security while creating income opportunities for rural and coastal populations.
Participants emphasized that long-term impact will depend on deeper policy reforms. These include improving infrastructure such as cold storage, reducing input costs, strengthening extension services for smallholder farmers, and encouraging private sector investment to drive innovation and resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
