Priority Area 1: Strengthening National Food and Nutrition Security Through Enhanced Nutrition Sensitive and Climate-Smart Food Systems

With Nigeria having at least 5 percent of the global burden of under-nutrition and more than 14 million malnourished children ensuring food and nutrition security remains an important goal of Nigeria’s agricultural policy. FAO will continue to support the GoN in effectively managing food safety and quality as a key factor to safeguarding the health of people, as well as enabling greater access to domestic, regional and international markets

FAO will continue, in collaboration with the key Government stakeholders (Agriculture, Women, Health, Education, Water) and development partners (UNICEF, WHO, and WFP) to support the Government in its efforts to build its capacity to act on food and nutrition security (FNS), particularly to implement gender-responsive and evidenced-based policies, strategies, and programmes addressing food insecurity and malnutrition.

Particular attention will be given to the integration of food-based approaches and nutrition-sensitive agriculture at the community level, food-based dietary diversification, and production and consumption of safe and nutritious food. The above contribution will be measured through the achievement of the following outcomes and related outputs.

Outcome 1.1: Government institutions and their partners implement evidence-based gender-responsive policies, strategies and programmes that address food insecurity and malnutrition

Output 1.1.1: Capacity of the relevant MDAs to develop, implement and monitor/evaluate crosssectoral gender responsive policies and investment programmes for food and nutrition security strengthened.

Output 1.1.2: Public awareness and capacity of State and non-state actors in nutrition, food safety and quality systems increased.

Output 1.1.3: Existence of standards and formal institutional arrangements to guide FNS investment programme 

Priority Area 2: Support for Appropriate and Operationally Effective Agricultural Policy and Regulatory Frameworks

FAO, in collaboration with other development partners, has been contributing to the GoN's efforts to enhance evidence-based policy decision-making as well as regulatory frameworks in Government institutions. To this effect, FAO has been active in areas addressing transboundary plant and animal diseases. Continuing in this direction, the CPF focuses on (i) policy advice in the development or review of existing policies in agricultural production and extension services, livestock and fishery policies reflecting new emerging issues and the preparation of relevant implementation strategies where required, (ii) Enhanced capacity of national and state level institutions providing agricultural statistics, tracking the SDG indicators, routine data and agricultural information, (iii) Capacity development for government use in poverty analysis and multi-sectoral coordination and building understanding and capacity around meeting SDG 1 and 2. And (iv) aligning policies between agriculture and trade to contribute towards the Malabo goal of increasing regional trade. This will continue with the aim of achieving the following outcome and related outputs.

Outcome 2.1: Inclusive and evidence-based development of policies and strategies for agriculture and natural resources strengthened and institutionalized at federal level and in selected states.

Output 2.1.1: Technical advisory services provided for policy development, monitoring and evaluation.

Output 2.1.2: Capacity of national and state level institutions providing agricultural statistics, tracking SDGs indicators, routine data and agricultural information strengthened

Outcome B2: Improved regulatory framework for agriculture and management of natural resources. 

Output 2.2.1: Agricultural bio security systems updated and strengthened.

Output 2.2.2: Capacity of state actors and relevant MDAs to ensure that agricultural practices and products conform to Codex Alimentarius (CODEX) standards

Output 2.2.3: Improved Regulatory provisions and guidelines for establishment and management of a commercial livestock production system, including livestock ranching developed and implemented.

Priority Area 3: Support to the Nigeria’s Economic Diversification Agenda and promotion of Decent Employment for youth and women in Agriculture Value Chains

FAO will further collaborate with the GoN in addressing challenges and constraints to agricultural production and farm productivity, including access to improved agricultural inputs, reduction of postharvest losses and improving access to markets. In addressing these challenges, FAO will work with the GoN to create an enabling environment for farmers and key actors in the area of market access and to identify gaps and provide technical assistance in combating issues along the value chain. In this respect, FAO will focus on agripreneurs and engage youth and women in agricultural value chain activities..

FAO will also promote youth-friendly information and communication technologies for knowledge management and dissemination; and facilitation of training initiatives in agricultural, business and life skills training programmes for young agricultural entrepreneurs for priority value chains. FAO will also support the N-Power Agro programme under the Nigeria Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

Outcome 3.1: By 2022, producers adopt practices that increase agricultural productivity and production in agricultural priority value chains (crops, livestock and fisheries) in targeted areas. 

Output 3.1.1: Strengthened capacity of the Institutions to provide technical support services (extension, irrigation, seeds, fingerling’s and livestock breeds) to relevant actors in the agriculture priority value chains.

Output 3.1.2: Strengthened capacity of Government and key stakeholders for the development and implementation of a consolidated M&E system for the priority value chains under APP as well as SDGs and Targets.

Outcome 3.2: Conducive enabling environment for increased market access, and generation of youth and women employment in priority agricultural value chains improved

Output 3.2.1: Enhanced capacity of key actors (MDAs, private sector, women and youth groups) for better post-harvest handling and improved market access in priority commodities value chains.

Output 3.2.2: Increased capacity of Government to implement the Youth Employment in Agriculture programme.

Priority Area 4: Improve Efficient and Sustainable Natural Resources and Ecosystem Management

FAO will continue to collaborate with other agencies of government, NGOs and the Private Sector in implementing projects that address land degradation and desertification through sustainable land management for increased food security and support to communities to adapt to climate change. The Organization shall continue to promote policy dialogue among key stakeholders, and aid in reviewing existing policies or the formulation of new ones. FAO will also promote gender responsive community-based forest management practices and technically advise in programme launch and implementation. FAO will also support capacity development for the introduction of the Measurement Reporting Verification System in the context of the REDD+ initiative in the selected states. Alongside the GoN, FAO will help implement the National Forestry Investment Plan.

Outcome 4.1: Capacity of the relevant stakeholders strengthened to sustainably manage natural resources (land, water and forest) and climate change.

Output 4.1.1: Public awareness and capacity of relevant MDAs and communities in selected States enhanced for sustainable integrated management and use of land and water resources

Output 4.1.2 Capacity of relevant MDAs strengthened in updating of policies and regulatory frameworks and in programme implementation for land, water, forest resources and climate change.

Priority Area 5:  Support for Disaster Risk Reduction, Resilience Building and Emergency Management towards Strengthening the Humanitarian Development Nexus

Populations in Nigeria are increasingly exposed to natural hazards, man-made and to protracted crises. FAO will continue to provide support for (i.) the creation of an enabling policy environment for disaster risk reduction and management, (ii.) the preparation of related strategies, (iii) the preparation of the disaster preparedness and contingency plans in selected states. In addition, FAO will ensure that the multi-sectoral plans, policies and strategies are based on sex-disaggregated data and gender analysis.

FAO will continue to support the Government and to play a key role in the food security sector working group and the Agriculture Donor Working Group to enhance the Humanitarian Development and Peace Nexus dialogue. FAO will also support the diversification of Livelihoods, local economies of crisis-affected communities, particularly for youth, women, IDP, returnees, host communities and other vulnerable communities to meet their basic food and nutrition needs.

Outcome 5.1: Integrated Disaster Management and Response Systems systematically applied by 2022

Output 5.1.1: Institutional capacity for Federal and selected State MDAs strengthened for gender-sensitive disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness and response in the agriculture sector.

Output 5.1.2: State and national capacities to regularly monitor food and nutrition security (as part of the early warning system) strengthened.

Output 5.1.3: Improved capacities of vulnerable household communities, national, states and key stakeholders to implement absorption, prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of threats and crises in the context of the humanitarian development nexus