Vice-President Kashim Shettima constituted the committee on Tuesday, October 20, during a high-level meeting on agricultural performance and strategic interventions at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The committee is expected to develop a blueprint for implementing priority agricultural interventions, with an emphasis on improving production and coordinating the activities of government agencies responsible for the sector.

The development was announced in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice-President.

Shettima urged committee members to combine their expertise and develop practical recommendations that could translate the government’s agricultural priorities into action.

The meeting followed an earlier engagement with President Bola Tinubu and stakeholders from agriculture and other sectors, during which challenges affecting farmers and opportunities to increase domestic food production were discussed.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari said the discussions covered wheat production, dry-season farming and the need to address obstacles preventing farmers from cultivating crops throughout the year.

Kyari explained that Tinubu had directed the Vice-President to identify and tackle major challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly those limiting year-round farming. He stressed the importance of better coordination among federal, state and local governments to expand production.

According to the minister, the technical committee will bring together relevant ministries, departments and agencies to coordinate their contributions and develop recommendations for implementation. Its report is expected to undergo further review before being presented to Shettima and subsequently to the President.

The committee draws its membership from the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources and Sanitation, and Livestock Development, alongside institutions involved in agricultural financing, research, mechanisation, seed regulation and production.

Other represented bodies include the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, National Agricultural Seeds Council, National Agricultural Development Fund, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, National Sugar Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Commodities Exchange and National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure.

The committee will be coordinated by Marion Moon, Technical Adviser to the Vice-President on Agriculture and head of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit.

Moon called for stronger collaboration among the three tiers of government, noting that gaps in coordination can make it difficult to align federal agricultural programmes with activities and needs at the state and local levels.

She urged officials to ensure that national priorities complement ongoing efforts in the states, so that interventions are better coordinated and resources can be directed towards practical challenges facing farmers.

The initiative comes as the government seeks to raise domestic food output, reduce reliance on imports and strengthen agricultural value chains. Its effectiveness will depend on the recommendations produced, the implementation of agreed measures and sustained cooperation between government agencies and subnational authorities.

Reporting by TalkNaija Media