Kogi state government has joined other states in Nigeria under the federal ministry of agriculture and food security in reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership role in agricultural reform as the country emerges the first West African nation to commence the domestication of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) otherwise known as the Kampala Declaration.
Speaking at the Community of Practice Summit on CAADP implementation held in Abuja, Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojoma, conveyed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s readiness to align fully with the CAADP framework.
Ojoma described the move as a decisive step in transforming the nation’s agriculture from policy intent to grassroots impact.
He highlighted Kogi’s proactive efforts in mechanization, farmer support, and food sufficiency, noting that the state’s new 10-year agricultural roadmap (2026–2035) will ensure full implementation of the framework across all 21 local government areas.
Ojoma added that the state’s commitment reflects Governor Ododo’s long-standing vision for a productive, self-sufficient agricultural sector.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, underscored the importance of extending agricultural transformation to rural communities.
He noted that despite contributing nearly 90 percent of national food production, rural areas remain the least developed in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
Kyari charged state commissioners of agriculture to take ownership of the domestication process within their respective states, stressing that meaningful progress under the Kampala Declaration depends on robust state-level action.
“If agriculture contributes 28 percent of our GDP, that growth must reflect in the lives of our farmers, the true agents of production,” he said.
Professor Raphael Olanrewaju Babatunde, CAADP Regional Expert for ECOWAS, applauded Nigeria’s leadership, describing the summit as “a clear transition from commitment to implementation.”
He noted that the Kampala Declaration, endorsed by African Heads of State in January 2025, commits each nation to allocate at least 10 percent of its annual budget to agriculture to drive a minimum of 6 percent growth in agricultural GDP.
Similarly, Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo, Deputy Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, emphasized that the summit bridges the gap between national policies and community realities, saying: “With proper budgeting, coordination, and citizen participation, agriculture can truly drive inclusive growth across Nigeria.”
