The Africa Food Systems Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda (September 2-6, 2024) was a major platform for discussions on transforming Africa’s agriculture and food systems, with a focus on innovation and sustainable practices in a climate-vulnerable world. Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi led a five-person delegation, spotlighting the state’s agricultural progress and development agenda.
Key Takeaways from the Summit:
1. Jigawa’s Agricultural Advancements: Governor Namadi highlighted the state’s investments in wheat, hibiscus, sesame, and gum Arabic production, emphasizing the pivotal role Jigawa plays in Nigeria’s food security efforts.
2. Digital Transformation in Agriculture: Namadi’s meeting with the African Development Bank (AfDB) explored the digitalization of Jigawa’s agricultural value chain, aiming to enroll farmers into digital databases and provide digital farm passports, enhancing productivity and market access.
3. Collaborations with Global Partners: The governor engaged with organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and NASA’s Harvest Program to secure support for agricultural mechanization, flood/drought management, and funding for smallholder farmers.
4. Food Security Policy: Governor Namadi participated in a high-level ECOWAS panel on policy frameworks, discussing sustainable agricultural solutions and governance with ministers and experts from West Africa.
5. Educational Innovations: Jigawa’s team explored partnerships with RwandaEQUIP and the MasterCard Foundation, focusing on improving education standards, youth empowerment, and tackling learning poverty.
6. Commitment to Sustainable Development: The summit reinforced Jigawa’s commitment to aligning with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in renewable energy (Goal 7) and food security. Governor Namadi’s leadership earned praise from international institutions like AfDB for his vision of using agriculture as a tool for economic growth and youth engagement.
Through these engagements, Governor Namadi aims to drive Jigawa’s agricultural modernization, ensuring the state’s leadership in Nigeria’s food security agenda.
