{"id":127133,"date":"2026-05-18T20:40:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T19:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=127133"},"modified":"2026-05-18T20:40:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T19:40:37","slug":"fg-partners-wave-to-tackle-crop-diseases-enhance-food-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/fg-partners-wave-to-tackle-crop-diseases-enhance-food-security\/","title":{"rendered":"\u200eFG Partners WAVE To Tackle Crop Diseases, Enhance Food Security \u200e"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
By Godswill Michael<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eThe Federal Government has intensified efforts to combat crop diseases and strengthen food security through enhanced collaboration with stakeholders in plant health management and disease surveillance.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eThis was disclosed by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, during a familiarisation visit by a delegation from the Central and West African Virus Epidemiology Project (WAVE), led by its Deputy Executive Director, Prof. Angela Eni, in Abuja on Monday.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eSpeaking during the meeting, Abdullahi described the engagement as \u201cvital and strategic,\u201d stressing the urgent need to address emerging and existing plant diseases threatening agricultural productivity and food systems across the country.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eAccording to him, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is committed to strengthening collaboration with WAVE and other relevant stakeholders to improve plant health surveillance, mitigate crop diseases, and enhance food and nutrition security.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200e\u201cThe relevant documents and frameworks should undergo national validation to ensure inclusiveness, ownership, and alignment with Nigeria\u2019s agricultural priorities,\u201d the minister said.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eHe advised the Department of Plant Health and Pest Control and WAVE to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening collaboration and strengthening institutional processes.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eAbdullahi also emphasised 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.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eThe minister noted that the current administration had repositioned the ministry with a renewed mandate to support national food security and improve agricultural productivity.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eIn her remarks, Eni, highlighted the organisation\u2019s role in strengthening early warning systems and preparedness for the management of transboundary plant pathogens.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eShe explained that the proposed platform would leverage the existing nationwide cassava viral disease epidemiological dataset developed under the WAVE initiative to support plant health surveillance and food security efforts in Nigeria.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eThe Director of the Department of Plant Health and Pest Control, Mrs. Grace Iwendi, said the engagement was focused on strengthening collaboration towards establishing a national plant disease monitoring and rapid response database for Nigeria.<\/div>\n
\u200e<\/div>\n
\u200eShe commended the ministry\u2019s leadership for supporting the department through policies and partnerships aimed at improving plant health management, disease surveillance, and agricultural productivity across the country.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n