The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development yesterday unveiled National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022-2027, a document articulated to guide sectoral activities for ensuring food and nutrition security in the country.
The five-year policy is premised on 10 thematic areas of stakeholders synergy and alignment, knowledge creation and transfer, rapid mechanisation, agricultural development fund establishment, extension service delivery revitalisation and livestock development.
Other area of focus include; priority crop value chain strengthening, fisheries and aquaculture, marine and inland fisheries development, market development, and agricultural lands and investments partnership.
The policy document also covers the crosscutting areas of digital and climate-smart agriculture promotion, rural infrastructure development, nutrition, and exports standardisation . Also covered are agricultural lending and insurance, data and information management, and quality agricultural inputs access, agricultural land and water resources usage, women and youth in agriculture, cooperatives revitalisation and national food reserve and food security.
Unveiling the document in Abuja, minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar said embracing technology and innovation becomes inevitable for transforming the nation agricultural system of empowering small scale framers to adopt new technologies and best practices for an enhanced production and processing of agricultural commodities for local consumption and export to other countries.
Abubakar noted that the implementation strategy of the policy outlined clear responsibilities and roles among the national state and local government actors with clear indicators and timelines for robust and collective tracking of progress throughout the period of implementing the policy.
The minister said, “To make Nigeria adequate in food production, healthy living and livelihood engagement, present administration has been strengthening the inter-sectoral activities and multi-stakeholders collaborations amongst government and non-government organisations, this collective effort sustains our continuous goal of harnessing and utilising the country’s human and materials resources in a responsible manner for common good and economic growth.
I urge all stakeholders to key into the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022-2027 for its smooth implementation towards ensuring food and nutrition security in the country”.