By Joy Joseph
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has commended HortiNigeria as a transformative force for growth, productivity, and empowerment in Nigeria’s horticulture sector.
Speaking in Ibadan at a two-day learning event on Tuesday, Kyari, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Yerima Ubah, described the Dutch-funded programme as a “catalyst” that has delivered outstanding results in just four years of operation.
Launched to tackle challenges in Nigeria’s vegetable value chain, HortiNigeria has boosted crop yields by 93 percent, increased farmers’ incomes by 205 percent, trained over 76,000 farmers, supported 898 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and created 477 jobs for young people.
Kyari reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to consolidating these gains through public-private partnerships, innovative practices, and enabling policies. He stressed that horticulture remains central to Nigeria’s food security, global competitiveness, and economic diversification agenda.
“The government will continue to support initiatives that drive sustainability and inclusivity in agriculture. Horticulture is not just about food; it is about empowering communities and shaping our national future,” he said.
Also speaking, the Netherlands’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Bengt van Loosdrecht, hailed the impact of the initiative, describing it as transformative for food security, youth empowerment, and job creation.
According to him, HortiNigeria has empowered over 70,000 smallholder farmers in Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo States, while ensuring inclusivity with 40 percent female participation and 15 percent youth engagement.
“Horticulture now stands as a movement shaping Nigeria’s agricultural future,” Loosdrecht declared.
HortiNigeria Programme Director, Mohammed Salasi Idris, said the event was convened to take stock of achievements and chart new directions. He disclosed that the initiative had trained 70,000 farmers in Kaduna and Kano alone, exceeded youth engagement targets in Ogun and Oyo, and attracted investments worth six million euros.
“We must move from aid to trade, scale innovation, and shift from poor to performance. Sustainability and innovation will drive the next phase of our horticultural growth,” Idris stated.
With its remarkable achievements, stakeholders agree that HortiNigeria has not only surpassed its initial targets but has also set a solid foundation for a vibrant, inclusive, and competitive horticulture industry in Nigeria.
