As Nigeria grapples with worsening food insecurity, climate shocks and rural insecurity, farmers under the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) are pushing for a structural reset of the country’s agricultural system through the General Assembly of Farmers (GAF).
The three-day GAF meeting in Abuja signalled a growing determination by farmers to move from fragmented advocacy to coordinated national engagement, positioning agriculture as a strategic pillar for economic stability, nutrition and security.
AFAN President, Dr Farouk Mudi, said the assembly reflects farmers’ response to years of policy gaps, climate volatility and rising production costs that have steadily eroded productivity and confidence in the sector.
He warned that unpredictable rainfall, flooding and changing seasonal patterns were dismantling traditional farming cycles, disclosing that more than 500,000 hectares of rice and maize farms had been lost to erratic weather conditions.
Beyond climate challenges, Mudi pointed to the rising cost of fertilizer and agrochemicals, as well as insecurity in rural communities, as key drivers of declining output and farmer displacement.
According to him, GAF is designed to reposition AFAN as a policy-driven institution capable of influencing reforms, mobilizing investment and restoring agriculture as a viable livelihood.
He reaffirmed farmers’ backing for the National Livestock Transformation Plan, describing it as a pathway to modern ranching, reduced land-use conflicts and improved safety for crop farmers.
Mudi also questioned Nigeria’s continued dependence on food imports such as wheat, sugar and fish, arguing that the billions spent annually on imports reflect systemic failure rather than scarcity of local capacity.
Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Dr Uju Rochas-Anwukah, framed agriculture as central to Nigeria’s nutrition and health outcomes, stressing that food security remains the first line of defence against malnutrition.
She said the Nutrition 774 Initiative and the Renewed Hope Agenda recognise agriculture as more than an economic sector, but as a security and nation-building priority that must place farmers at the centre.
“Nigeria cannot fix malnutrition without fixing food systems, and food systems cannot be fixed without farmers,” she said.
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), acknowledged that insecurity continues to undermine food production, pledging improved protection for farming communities and urging farmers to report threats early.
With climate pressures intensifying and import bills rising, the GAF initiative reflects a broader shift by farmers to demand long-term solutions, policy coherence and security guarantees—signalling that agriculture is no longer just a rural issue, but a national survival imperative.