The Federal Government, in collaboration with the European Union and partner countries Czech Republic, Austria, and Latvia has launched a Twinning Project aimed at improving food security and strengthening food systems through climate-smart technologies in Nigeria.

The programme, implemented under the EU–Nigeria Twinning initiative, will deploy expertise from the European partners to work closely with Nigerian institutions to advance climate-smart agriculture and enhance sustainable value chains.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, commended the EU and its member states for their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

He noted that Nigeria, like many countries, faces growing challenges from climate change, including irregular rainfall, droughts, floods, land degradation, and emerging pests and diseases, all of which are affecting productivity and farmers’ livelihoods.

Abdullahi emphasised the need to build a more resilient, productive, and sustainable agricultural system, highlighting the importance of climate-smart agriculture. He explained that it goes beyond responding to climate change and focuses on transforming agriculture to increase productivity while protecting the environment.

He added that the project would provide Nigeria with technical expertise and knowledge exchange, support the review of the National Agricultural Resilience Framework, and develop guidance on climate-smart practices to align policies with international standards.

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, also underscored the critical role of agriculture in Nigeria’s economy, noting that the sector faces significant challenges ranging from climate pressures to structural constraints and food insecurity.

He said the project would help review existing policies, identify gaps, and provide practical recommendations to strengthen implementation and institutional capacity.

Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Ibrahim Tanimu, described the initiative as significant, noting that it brings together European and Nigerian experts to address key agricultural and climate challenges.

He added that the project would support the development of practical, implementable climate-smart solutions across the agricultural value chain, ultimately improving resilience and food security nationwide.