Food Security: Agric Ministry trains staff on SHEP Approach, others
As part of efforts to reposition agriculture as a driver of food security, economic diversification, and employment, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has conducted a 4-day training on Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Approach for its staff.
At the opening ceremony of the Capacity Building Workshop held in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi disclosed that the SHEP approach would change the concept of smallholder farmers from “grow and sell” subsistence to “grow to sell” business thinking.
He highlighted that the programme would improve their income by building both technical skills and market access through farmer-led market surveys, gender partnership, and business linkage development, turning farming into a profitable enterprise.
Ogunbiyi stated further that the training aligns strongly with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government and its vision of achieving sustainable food security as well as reducing poverty through inclusive agricultural growth.
The Permanent Secretary who explained that the training programme covers critical thematic areas that are central to modern agricultural governance and service delivery, added that it was a deliberate investment in human capital in order to strengthen the Ministry’s technical backbone.
He commended the well thought out modules included in the programme like improving agricultural and pastoral practices, modern extension methodologies, climate smart approaches , strengthened monitoring and evaluation systems, policy formulation, contract farming and the SHEP approach.
‘’Collectively these areas are expected to promote all year round crop production, address food shortages, create employment opportunities, support climate adaption, and ensure that development initiatives are guided by sound evidence and reliable data,” he said
Dr. Ogunbiyi urged the participants to translate the knowledge garnered at the workshop into improved performance, better service delivery, and tangible outcomes for Nigerian farmers and agribusiness.
In a statement by Ogbuagu Chika, Principal Information Officer, on behalf of the Ministry’s Head of Information, the Permanrnt Secretary assured participants of Ministry’s avowed commitment to achieving food security
The SPRiNGS Coordinator, Dr.Ukoha Ukiwo, represented by Head, Research and Evidence SPRING Lead, Mr. Ephraim Enuch, in his remarks, said that the organization would work in partnership with the Ministry towards strengthening extension services, monitoring & evaluations, Data systems and Policy Formations in the Agricultural ecosystem.
