Date: November 3, 2026
By Jane Daniels
The Federal Government has called for increased investment in agricultural value chains, agro-industrialisation and market access to boost food security and accelerate economic growth.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, made the call on Monday in Enugu during the Technical Session of the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security.
Ogunbiyi, who chaired the session themed, “Enhancing Agricultural Value Chains, Agro-Industrialization And Market Access For Economic Growth,” said Nigeria must move beyond subsistence farming to a commercially driven agricultural system capable of creating wealth, generating employment and improving farmers’ incomes.
He identified inadequate storage and processing facilities, limited access to finance, poor logistics and weak links between farmers and processors as major challenges affecting agricultural development.
The permanent secretary called for increased investment in agro-processing, rural roads, irrigation, electricity, cold-chain infrastructure and modern technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and promote local value addition.
He also urged state governments to identify priority commodities, establish production targets, attract private investment and strengthen partnerships with research institutions and development partners.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-industrialisation, Mr Patrick Uburu, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to boost farmers’ incomes, create jobs and generate wealth.
Uburu urged delegates to prioritise practical, implementable recommendations that would benefit farmers and agribusiness operators.
The initiatives aligned with Governor Peter Mbah’s economic transformation agenda to boost agricultural productivity and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
