US backs diversification of Nigeria’s agriculture sector – USAID Director

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has said the United States will be supporting Nigeria to develop its agriculture sector into a more diversified, inclusive and dynamic driver of economic development.
Roseann Casey, the USAID/Nigeria Director of Economic Growth and Environment, said this in a statement signed by Jana T. Sweeny, the Development Outreach and Communications Specialist (DOC), and made available to journalists in Lagos on Monday.
Casey said in pursuit of the objective, USAID/Nigeria recently hosted two-day workshops between September 26 and October 11, in Lagos, Kano, and Abuja.

The Workshops

She explained that the results from the consultative workshops would inform a new food security country plan for Nigeria.
“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) convened a broad spectrum of agricultural stakeholders to develop a shared vision for development of the sector under the U.S. government’s new Global Food Security Strategy.
“The U.S. Global Food Security Act authorises a comprehensive, strategic approach for U.S. foreign assistance to reduce global poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in 12 target countries, including Nigeria.
“In two-day workshops held in Lagos, Kano, and Abuja from September 26 to October 11, some 180 participants examined the past, present, and future of agricultural and nutrition developments in the country,’’ she said.
The USAID/Nigeria Director said that the workshops identified common objectives, and developed action plans to develop agriculture in Nigeria under the new strategy.