The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress Programme in Nigeria, describing the initiative as a strategic intervention with significant potential to strengthen the country’s fisheries and aquaculture value chain.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE), Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, stated this in Abuja when she received a delegation from Partners of the Americas, the implementing partner for the USDA Food for Progress Programme in Nigeria.

The delegation was led by Gustavo Galdo.

According to a statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Anastasia Ogbonna, on Tuesday, Mahmood assured the delegation that the Ministry was prepared to provide the policy guidance, institutional support and coordination required for effective implementation of the programme.

Mahmood said the Ministry remained committed to unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s blue economy as a catalyst for food security, employment generation, poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

She emphasised the importance of strengthening the fisheries and aquaculture sector to Nigeria’s food security objectives, citing its potential to increase domestic fish production, improve livelihoods and generate economic opportunities throughout the value chain.

The Permanent Secretary further assured Partners of the Americas and other development partners that the Ministry would work closely with them to ensure the programme complements existing Federal Government initiatives.

She said the collaboration would also seek to deliver tangible and measurable benefits to Nigerian fishers, aquaculture operators, processors, marketers and other participants across the value chain.

Earlier, Galdo presented the USDA Food for Progress Nigeria Programme to the Ministry, outlining its objectives, implementation strategy and expected outcomes.

He highlighted the programme’s emphasis on improving productivity, strengthening resilience and promoting sustainable growth within Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

Galdo explained that the Food for Progress Programme is designed to improve agricultural productivity and expand trade in developing countries.

He added that its focus on fisheries and aquaculture in Nigeria would contribute to better livelihoods, increased access to protein and the development of more resilient food systems.

Key intervention areas, according to Galdo, include improving access to quality inputs and finance, strengthening market systems, increasing productivity and expanding private-sector participation throughout the fisheries and aquaculture value chain.

He also disclosed that baseline studies were underway to generate the evidence required to guide targeted interventions and ensure programme activities respond effectively to identified gaps and opportunities within the sector.

For MSMEs operating within Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture ecosystem, the programme’s focus on finance, quality inputs, productivity and market systems could create opportunities for businesses involved in fish farming, processing, storage, distribution and marketing.

Galdo requested the Ministry’s continued engagement and institutional guidance to keep the programme aligned with Nigeria’s national priorities and ensure it contributes meaningfully to the sustainable development of the fisheries and aquaculture industry.

The meeting also allowed both parties to identify areas for collaboration and strengthen alignment with the Ministry’s strategic priorities.

Discussions particularly focused on productivity gaps, financing constraints, limitations in market access and policy bottlenecks affecting the sustainable growth and competitiveness of Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The collaboration comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to harness Nigeria’s blue economy to support economic diversification, strengthen food systems and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for businesses and communities across the country.

Source: MSME Africa Online