Nigeria, Israel to establish joint commission to address agriculture, food security issues
NIGERIA – Nigeria and Israel are working on setting up a joint commission to enhance their diplomatic and economic cooperation, with a key focus on improving food security.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, and Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman.
Ambassador Ojukwu stated that Nigeria seeks to expand its relationship with Israel beyond security and counter-terrorism, areas where Israel is well-regarded.
She emphasized that Nigeria is particularly interested in adopting Israeli technology to improve food production and is also open to collaboration in sectors such as health, education, and entertainment.
The joint commission will monitor and evaluate the relationship between the two nations, focusing on trade, security, and technology exchange.
Ambassador Freeman said Israel is keen on deepening trade with Nigeria and exploring ways to work together in agriculture, water resource management, education, and healthcare.
The commission is expected to accelerate agreements in these sectors and create a framework for closer cooperation.
Food insecurity remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with millions of people struggling to access sufficient nutrition.
Between 2020 and 2022, about 21.3% of Nigerians experienced severe food insecurity, while in 2022 alone, 12.8 million people faced acute food shortages.
Projections for 2025 indicate that 33 million people could suffer from acute food insecurity, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.
Agriculture plays a major role in Nigeria’s economy, contributing approximately 24% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In the second quarter of 2023, the agricultural sector accounted for 21% of Nigeria’s GDP.
Nigeria has around 34 million hectares of arable land, with 6.5 million hectares dedicated to permanent crops and 28.6 million hectares used for meadows and pastures.
The country is a top producer of palm oil, cocoa beans, pineapple, and sorghum, with cassava production reaching 59.6 million tons in 2022.
That same year, Nigeria harvested 47.5 million tons of yam and 3.3 million tons of taro.
More than 36% of Nigeria’s labor force works in agriculture, making it one of the country’s largest employment sectors.
The collaboration between Nigeria and Israel through the proposed joint commission could provide access to advanced agricultural technology and expertise, potentially improving food production and security.
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