Nigeria plans 20bn-tree campaign, adopts Ethiopia’s agriculture model — Shettima
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria will adopt lessons from Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation as part of efforts to achieve food sovereignty and make agriculture a major driver of the economy.
Shettima spoke on Thursday during a tour of farms and agricultural facilities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region as part of the Ethiopia-Nigeria Leadership Exchange.
He said Nigeria would draw from Ethiopia’s experience in large-scale mechanised farming, improved seeds and climate-smart agriculture to address food production challenges and unlock investment in the agrifood sector.
The vice-president cited Ethiopia’s transformation in wheat production, saying the country had moved from importing about $1 billion worth of wheat annually to producing enough for domestic consumption and exporting to neighbouring countries, including Djibouti and Kenya.
He also noted Ethiopia’s progress in rice production, describing the country’s agricultural transformation as a model Nigeria and other African countries could learn from.
“We intend to embrace improved seeds, mechanisation, and climate-smart agriculture,” Shettima said.
He warned that dependence on food imports could undermine national sovereignty, stressing the need for countries to strengthen domestic food production.
“Food dependency compromises our sovereignty. Without independence in food production, a nation remains incomplete in its sovereignty,” he said.
