Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Nigeria Country Plan

Building upon the lessons learned from the 2018-2023 Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Nigeria Country Plan, the United States government (USG) is adapting its strategic approach to supporting Nigeria’s food security goals by ensuring a more targeted and effective use of resources. In the context of numerous and mounting challenges facing the Nigerian economy and people, intelligent planning around food security is more important than ever. Insecurity, characterized by insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry, continues to impede economic activity including farming on which rural Nigerians rely for sustenance and livelihoods. Further, climate-related risks such as flooding and drought have begun manifesting in Nigeria. Severe nationwide flooding in 2022 destroyed crops, farmlands, properties, and lives, and persistent continuing droughts exacerbate farmer-herder tensions. Finally, a rapidly depreciating currency and record inflation, caused by sluggish post-COVID recovery, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the immediate effects of recent government reforms, combine with a deficient social protection system to exacerbate poverty and erode purchasing power.

Recognizing that new shocks are inevitable, the 2024-2029 GFSS adopts a market system approach to achieve three overarching goals: increase the productivity and competitiveness of selected value chains (maize, rice and horticulture) and markets by building capacities of agri-businesses, removing barriers to investments, and developing innovative financial products; enhance the capacities of vulnerable households to respond to and recuperate from shocks through increased productivity and adaptation; and improve access to nutritious and high-quality food by investing in and training regulatory agencies on food sanitary and phytosanitary measures. These programs are underpinned by a programmatic approach which includes cascading risks, deployment of innovative techniques and inputs such as drought-tolerant grain crops, ensuring inclusive development by including women, youths and the disabled, leveraging local knowledge and systems in program design and implementation, and leveraging networks to ensure collective action in line with USAID’s “Progress Beyond Programs.” For instance, USAID can help galvanize programs like the African Development Bank’s $540 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative through private-sector engagement and collaboration with the host government. This comprehensive approach will help ensure that investments are complementary while maximizing impact.