Lawrence Olaoye On the sidelines of the G77 + China Leaders’ Summit, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Federal Government with Cuba on food security and agriculture advancement.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Information in the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Olushola Abiola, yesterday. The Expression of Interest (EOI) was a journey to strengthen the ties between Nigeria and Cuba in the field of agriculture.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba in the presence of officials from both countries. nDuring the pre-signing meeting, Kyari lauded the willingness of Cuba’s government to partner with Nigeria, noting both countries share a common vision for their people.
The minister expressed heartfelt gratitude for the shared insights into Nigeria’s pressing food and agricultural opportunities and challenges.
He also underlined Nigeria’s demographic advantage, vast land resources, immense agricultural potential, promoting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for food and nutrition security.
“It was in this spirit that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development evolved into the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,” he said.
Kyari extended a hand of partnership to his Cuban counterparts with a focus on vital areas such as bio-fortification of agricultural produce, improvement of agricultural seeds and seedlings, agricultural mechanization, cutting-edge technologies for increased yields, and the reduction of post-harvest losses.
The minister also said: “Nigeria was keenly interested in collaborating with Cuba in the domains of poultry, livestock, and fisheries.”
Key areas of cooperation include veterinary medicine, vaccine development, artificial insemination, and the development of pastures and ranching as essential components in curbing the challenges posed by inefficient open grazing of cattle.
Others were training, capacity building, and knowledge transfer as the cornerstone of any thriving agricultural economy.
In his own remarks, Cuba’s Minister of Agriculture, Ydael Jesus Perez Brito, who signed the MoU told the Nigerian delegation about the island nation’s agricultural prowess, admitting that the country has “over 500,000 hectares under cultivation” and remains “a global player in the export of tobacco, coffee, honey, and other commodities.”
Brito expressed delight at the opportunity to partner with Nigeria, stating that his country would provide impactful cooperation in identified areas contained in the MoU.
The Nigerian delegation to the G77+China Leaders’ Summit in Cuba was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The minister was accompanied to the ceremony by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, H.E. Ben Okoyen and other members of the Nigerian delegation.
