Abuja: The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and German Development Cooperation (GIZ) have reaffirmed their commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agriculture through gender-inclusive and climate-smart financing models. The two organisations made the commitment at the Validation Workshop on Climate-Smart and Gender-Inclusive Financing in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the workshop, which featured key stakeholders, aimed to finalise a financing framework designed to provide millions of women and youths with access to agricultural support systems tailored to meet their unique needs. Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, highlighted that the initiative was more than just documentation but an embodiment of a commitment to fostering resilience, inclusivity, and prosperity within food systems. He stressed the importance of integrating digital tools and financial literacy to reach underserved groups, urging the exploration of innovative approaches and leveraging digital platforms to provide tailored financial products.
Kyari referred to recent flood disasters to emphasise the urgency of integrating risk management and anticipatory action into agricultural systems. Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of NADF, stated their mission was to deploy financing that worked for every Nigerian farmer, regardless of their location or barriers they face. The workshop builds on a previous session held in November, which helped craft the initial draft of the financing model. He called on stakeholders to imagine new delivery models and take ownership of the process.
In her keynote address, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, called for urgent and inclusive financial systems to empower women and build resilience against the growing impacts of climate change. She highlighted that although women constitute a significant portion of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, they receive only a fraction of the credit and land allocated to small-scale farmers.
Dr. Andrea Ruediger, GIZ representative, reaffirmed Germany’s long-standing partnership with Nigeria in agricultural transformation, identifying food systems as the backbone of livelihoods, economies, and the environment. She urged stakeholders to implement the recommendations outlined in the newly validated framework, which includes developing targeted financial products and promoting climate-smart agriculture.
Sen. Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Production and Rural Development, identified technology as key to food sustainability. Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, called for urgent attention to Nigeria’s most vulnerable groups, particularly displaced persons, in national development policies.
The framework, jointly developed by NADF and GIZ, seeks to shift agricultural financing from traditional credit systems to a holistic approach that includes mechanisation, extension services, digital tools, advisory support, and risk-sharing mechanisms.
