FG, WAVE Deepen Partnership to Combat Crop Diseases, Strengthen Food Security
By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Government has moved to strengthen collaboration with the Central and West African Virus Epidemiology Project (WAVE) to improve plant disease surveillance, tackle crop infections, and enhance food and nutrition security across Nigeria.
The initiative, driven by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), is expected to bolster early warning systems, support rapid response mechanisms, and improve agricultural productivity amid rising threats from transboundary crop diseases.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and signed by Obe M. Mabel, Assistant Chief Information Officer, for the Head of the Department of Information.
Speaking during a familiarisation visit by the WAVE delegation in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, described the engagement as “vital and strategic,” stressing the urgent need to confront emerging and existing plant diseases threatening Nigeria’s food systems.
The WAVE delegation was led by its Deputy Executive Director, Angela Obiageli Eni.
According to the minister, the ministry is prepared to work closely with WAVE and other stakeholders to revalidate critical agricultural policy documents and align them with international governance frameworks for effective implementation.
He advised the Department of Plant Health and Pest Control and WAVE to formalise their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen institutional processes and cooperation.
“The relevant documents and frameworks should undergo national validation to ensure inclusiveness, ownership, and alignment with Nigeria’s agricultural priorities,” Abdullahi stated.
He further emphasized the importance of involving researchers, scientists, and economists in developing evidence-based policies and sustainable strategies capable of addressing emerging agricultural and food security challenges.
The minister also noted that the present administration had repositioned the ministry with a stronger mandate focused on boosting agricultural productivity and achieving national food security goals.
In her presentation, Prof. Eni highlighted WAVE’s efforts in strengthening early warning systems and preparedness for the management of transboundary plant pathogens across West and Central Africa.
She explained that the proposed collaboration would leverage the existing nationwide cassava viral disease epidemiological dataset developed under the WAVE initiative to support plant health surveillance and food security in Nigeria.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Director of the Department of Plant Health and Pest Control, Mrs. Grace Iwendi, said the engagement was aimed at establishing a national plant disease monitoring and rapid response database for the country.
She commended the ministry’s leadership for supporting the department through policies and strategic partnerships designed to improve plant health management, disease surveillance, and agricultural productivity nationwide.
