Nigeria’s Agric Minister Elected Vice-Chair of IFAD’s Governing Council

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The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has been elected the Vice Chairman of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The election, which took place at the 48th Session of the IFAD Governing Council in Rome, Italy, solidifies Nigeria’s leadership in global agricultural transformation.

IFAD, a United Nations specialised agency, is dedicated to alleviating rural poverty and enhancing agricultural development worldwide. The Governing Council session was attended by Heads of State, ministers for finance, agriculture and development of the Fund’s 180 Member States, and executive heads of Observer organizations.

Kyari’s election is widely seen as an international recognition of Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to reform its agricultural sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

His new position at IFAD is expected to bolster Nigeria’s role in global agricultural governance, further advancing food security and rural development in the country. The IFAD Governing Council, the agency’s highest decision-making body, represents 180 member-states.

The newly elected Bureau consists of Chairman Christophe Schiltz of Luxembourg, alongside two Vice Chairpersons, Senator Abubakar Kyari of Nigeria and Tatiana Rosito of Brazil.

In recent months, IFAD has reinforced its commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural development by approving key funding initiatives, include a two-year extension of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) to strengthen smallholder farming.

Speaking at a high-level panel discussion titled “Unlocking the Potential of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.”, Senator Kyari highlighted the challenges facing Nigeria’s agriculture and the efforts of the Nigerian Government in promoting food security and accelerating Nigeria’s food systems transformation.