In a landmark gathering aimed at transforming food systems across West Africa and the Sahel, the FAO National and Sub-regional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum opened today in Abuja with a powerful call for action on sustainable agriculture, irrigation, and food security.
The high-level event, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, drew leaders from across the region to spotlight bankable irrigation projects as a critical pathway to ending hunger.
Declaring the forum open, Vice President of Nigeria, H.E. Senator Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, announced a bold package of incentives under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to boost agricultural investments nationwide.
“Nothing unifies humanity as much as hunger. It is the great equaliser that reveals our vulnerabilities. Food is not merely a matter of survival; it is a matter of global security,” the Vice President stated, highlighting food security as central to national and global stability.
Also speaking at the forum, Dr. Hussain Gadain, FAO Representative in Nigeria, urged stakeholders to move from dialogue to tangible investments.
“We must go beyond commitments. Governments, development partners, the diplomatic community, and private investors must urgently support bankable irrigation projects that will strengthen food systems and build resilience,” said Dr. Gadain.
He emphasized that scaling up irrigation infrastructure is essential to achieving Zero Hunger (SDG 2), especially in the face of climate shocks and increasing regional food production.
With participation from countries across the Sahel and West Africa, the forum marks a strategic push under FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which promotes inclusive agricultural transformation through data-driven, country-led investment strategies.
Nigeria’s leadership in convening the forum signals its commitment to both domestic reform and regional solidarity in the fight against hunger.
As Dr. Gadain noted, the forum represents a turning point:
“The solutions to hunger are within reach—but they require bold decisions, coordinated investment, and unwavering political will.”
