The German Cooperation (GIZ) has called for stronger institutional capacity to sustain agricultural innovations and drive the long-term transformation of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Alexis Brackan, project manager of the GIZ Global Programme on Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies (AgSys), made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the close-out workshop of the Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Transformative Agricultural Systems (SIFTAS) project.
The SIFTAS project is implemented by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) with funding from German Cooperation.
The project aims to integrate transformative agricultural innovations into Nigeria’s agricultural education, training and extension systems.
Brackan, represented by Rose Ritter, technical adviser for GIZ AgSys, said the collaboration was undertaken under AgSys, which was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
He said the transformation of agricultural and food systems was a strategic priority for BMZ, adding that tackling food insecurity, climate change and environmental degradation required more than increased agricultural productivity.
“BMZ promotes a transformation towards agricultural and food systems that are more sustainable, climate-resilient, inclusive and environmentally responsible.
“An important element is investing in knowledge, education and training, strengthening capacities and creating conditions for innovations to be sustained and scaled up.
“Through AgSys, GIZ supports sustainable agricultural policies, builds capacities and promotes innovations for long-term transformation.
“In Nigeria, one of our priorities is to ensure that agricultural innovations become embedded within existing systems for long-term dissemination,” he said.
Brackan said the collaboration with SAA focused on integrating sustainable agricultural innovations into Nigeria’s agricultural education, training and extension systems.
He said SAA had supported the development of crop-specific agroforestry curricula and training materials for cassava, potato and rice, in collaboration with universities, agricultural colleges, research institutions and government stakeholders.
He added that the project had also strengthened the skills of relevant personnel to deliver the innovations and integrated complementary practices into existing teaching, training and extension programmes.
“What makes this collaboration so important is its focus on institutions,” he said.
Brackan said the close-out workshop provided an opportunity to recognise the collective effort, review progress and lessons, and reaffirm commitments to sustaining the project’s achievements.
He said a foundation for the next phase had been established through the development of a post-project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Transition Framework and the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
“The framework provides a basis for participating institutions to continue monitoring progress, documenting results and facilitating learning beyond direct project support,” he said.
He commended SAA for its commitment and leadership, as well as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders for contributing their expertise, time and resources.
