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Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with Central and West African Virus Epidemiology Project (WAVE) to enhance plant health surveillance, tackle crop diseases, and improve food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made this known during a familiarisation visit by a WAVE delegation led by Angela Obiageli Eni in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, the minister described the engagement as timely and strategic, noting the urgent need to address emerging and existing plant diseases threatening agricultural productivity and food systems across the country.
He said the ministry was prepared to work closely with WAVE and other relevant stakeholders to review and revalidate key policy documents, with a view to integrating them into international governance frameworks for effective implementation.
Abdullahi also directed the ministry’s Department of Plant Health and Pest Control to initiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WAVE to formalise the partnership and strengthen institutional cooperation.
According to him, the relevant policy documents and operational frameworks should undergo national validation to ensure inclusiveness, ownership, and alignment with Nigeria’s agricultural development priorities.
The minister further stressed the importance of engaging researchers, scientists, and economists in developing evidence-based policies and sustainable strategies to address emerging agricultural challenges and support national food security goals.
He added that the current administration had repositioned the ministry by expanding its mandate to focus specifically on food security and improved agricultural productivity.
In her presentation, Prof. Eni said WAVE plays a critical role in strengthening early warning systems and preparedness for managing transboundary plant pathogens across Central and West Africa.
She explained that the proposed platform would leverage the existing nationwide cassava viral disease epidemiological dataset developed under the WAVE initiative to support plant health surveillance and strengthen food security in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Director of the Department of Plant Health and Pest Control, Mrs. Grace Iwendi, said the engagement was aimed at deepening collaboration towards establishing a national plant disease monitoring and rapid response database for Nigeria.
Iwendi commended the ministry’s leadership for supporting the department through policies and partnerships designed to improve plant health management, disease surveillance, and agricultural productivity nationwide.