Federal Government, has reiterated President Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to boosting food security through strategic partnerships with development agencies, aimed at encouraging increased investment in food production across the country.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclose this when the newly appointed Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to Nigeria, Dr. Gudain Hussein, and his delegation paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
In a statement by the Director, Information and Publicity Funmi Imuetinyan, Utsev emphasized President Tinubu’s strong commitment to enhancing food production in the country. He recalled that those efforts inspired the declaration of a State of Emergency on Food Security and the administration’s sustained drive to attract investment in various aspects of agriculture and the food value chain.
He assured the delegation of the Ministry’s readiness, through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, to collaborate fully with FAO in advancing food production in Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.
The Minister added that the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative and the proposed Investment Summit coming up in Abuja will serve as a veritable platform to unite investors and stakeholders to accelerate food security efforts nationwide.
Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Dr. Hussein said the visit is to intimate the Minister of the upcoming FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative for the Sahel, themed “Investment in Irrigation and Water Resources”, scheduled for 16–18 September 2025 in Abuja.
He highlighted the crucial role the Ministry will play in the forum, noting that agriculture consumes nearly 90% of available water resources.
He explained that the forum will provide opportunities for strategy development and collaboration in FAO’s intervention areas, including investments through grants, loans, and capacity building.
While underscoring the importance of Public-Private Partnerships in crops, livestock, forestry, biodiversity, climate change, and food sustainability, he proposed the formation of a technical committee with the Ministry to develop a policy framework for strategic collaboration.