FAO hosts FMARD in biannual partners’ meeting at the UN House
Abuja - Development partnership is better structured when parties involve regularly meet to review their works and efforts with a view to appraise successes, address challenges and share perspectives for the future for sustainable growth.
At the Biannual partners’ meeting, conducted in hybrid, between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) this was well articulated by the FAO Representative in Nigeria Mr. Fred Kafeero in his opening remarks at the parley, hosted at the UN House in Abuja.
The FMARD Permanent Secretary Dr. Ernest Umakhihe who led Directors of the various departments in the Ministry to the UN House to discuss with FAO Nigeria team on programmatic and related issues aimed at strengthening the existing relationship between the partners, underscored the importance of the meeting, saying despite the numerous important schedules on the itinerary, the Ministry and FAO should endeavour to meet regularly to streamline the support.
The FAO Representative supported by the Assistant FAOR Programme Abubakar Suleiman and the Assistant FAOR Admin David Fehintola as well as other members of the FAO Nigerian team in both the country office and sub offices received the Permanent Secretary and his entourage.
Other staff of FAO out of Abuja joined the successful meeting online, where the FAO team outlined the several interventions (programmes and projects) both development related and emergency in the northeast as well the Transboundary animal diseases, strategically planned to support the needs of the government of Nigeria.
The Ministry outlined some urgent challenges that needed FAO support, such as the agriculture census which was last conducted more than 30 years ago in the country, but it is urgently required to ease tracking of progress made in food security, guide government on production outputs and basic data that can guide related government policy.