The Federal Government has called on the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to ensure that their development interventions are fully aligned with Nigeria’s national priorities to achieve sustainable, measurable and long-term results.

The appeal comes ahead of the implementation of a new FAO-KOICA multi-bilateral agricultural project designed to strengthen resilient agricultural systems and generate green jobs for young people in Nigeria and other participating African countries.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, made the call on Wednesday while receiving KOICA officials during a courtesy visit to brief the ministry on the KOICA-FAO 2026 Multi-Bilateral Project.

Bagudu acknowledged the longstanding cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea through KOICA, describing the partnership as one that offers significant development opportunities. He noted that beyond financial and technical support, Nigeria stands to benefit from Korea’s transformation from an agriculture-based economy into a leading global economic power.

“Beyond the support we receive, there is much Nigeria can learn from Korea’s experience, particularly in agriculture, food production, value addition and export development,” the minister said.

He stressed that all interventions by development partners should be consistent with Nigeria’s broader development agenda, particularly the country’s Agenda 2050 framework.

According to Bagudu, Nigeria’s federal system, where development responsibilities are shared across the federal, state and local governments, makes effective coordination essential for achieving lasting development outcomes.

The minister advised KOICA and the FAO to concentrate their interventions within selected communities to enable measurable impact and create successful models that can be expanded nationwide.

He explained that dispersing projects across too many locations without sufficient depth could reduce their effectiveness, whereas focused investments would be more likely to attract private-sector participation and future expansion.

“We need programmes that can produce concepts that work, can be scaled and can attract the private sector,” he said.

Bagudu also emphasised that agricultural programmes should reflect the economic realities and comparative advantages of beneficiary communities.

Using Nasarawa State as an example, he said women engaged in rice farming and processing could significantly benefit from improved technologies, enhanced skills and better market access.

He further identified Bayelsa State as a location with strong potential for aquaculture, noting that targeted interventions could unlock economic opportunities while promoting sustainable production.

The minister added that supporting farmers should go beyond increasing production capacity. He said producers also need access to market intelligence, value addition opportunities and internationally competitive agricultural practices.

Highlighting Nigeria’s export potential, Bagudu pointed to commodities including sesame, cocoa, fisheries and other high-value agricultural products, saying farmers should receive the necessary support to compete successfully in global markets.

“Sometimes, what is needed is to teach people what the world requires — to help them move from traditional production to producing what the market values,” Bagudu said.

He further urged KOICA and the FAO to integrate the project with existing Federal Government initiatives, including the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which seeks to coordinate development activities across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards.

According to the minister, adopting a ward-based implementation strategy would reduce duplication of projects, improve coordination among stakeholders and ensure that interventions address the unique needs of local communities.

Speaking during the visit, Baik Ki-Hyun, Senior Deputy Country Director of KOICA, disclosed that the agricultural initiative had already received approval from KOICA headquarters and is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2030.

He explained that the programme was developed following extensive consultations, surveys and assessments conducted jointly with the FAO, external experts and relevant Nigerian authorities.

Source: The Guardian