The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has said that although smallholder farmers account for about 85 per cent of Nigeria’s food production, their standard of living has remained largely unchanged, describing the situation as evidence of a structural imbalance within the country’s agricultural economy.

Kyari made the observation on Tuesday while speaking at the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for Agricultural Research, Development and Innovation (AR4D), held during the Ninth Africa Agriculture Science Week in Abuja.

The event, organised by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) in partnership with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), brought together policymakers, researchers and development partners to discuss sustainable funding strategies for agricultural research and innovation across Africa.

The minister explained that the NADF was created as a strategic intervention to address years of inadequate investment in Nigeria’s agricultural research system.

Recalling his time in the National Assembly when the legislation establishing the fund was under consideration, Kyari said he supported the initiative after observing the positive impact of similar intervention agencies in other sectors of the economy.

He noted that despite agriculture contributing about a quarter of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the rural communities responsible for producing the nation’s food have continued to experience limited development.

“Eighty-five percent of the food we consume comes from smallholder farmers, yet their living conditions have remained virtually unchanged. That shows there is a structural imbalance in the agricultural economy,” he said.

Kyari attributed declining agricultural productivity to several factors, including limited access to quality seeds, inadequate financing, shrinking arable land, the effects of climate change and years of neglect of agricultural research institutions.

He explained that many farmers now plant harvested grains instead of certified seeds because they cannot afford improved seed varieties, a practice he said has contributed to declining yields and reduced productivity.

The minister also praised the NADF for carrying out a baseline assessment of Nigeria’s 16 agricultural research institutes and 17 colleges of agriculture, describing the exercise as an important step towards revitalising the country’s agricultural research infrastructure.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said Africa’s agricultural transformation would depend more on building a strong innovation ecosystem than merely increasing funding for research.

“Financing is not the major challenge. It’s actually an ecosystem challenge,” Ibrahim said.

He stressed that agricultural research must generate innovations capable of attracting investment, commercialisation and widespread adoption.

“As much as research requires funding, the market also requires research. Financing flows wherever there are returns,” he added.

The ministerial dialogue ended with the adoption of the Abuja Clarion Call, through which more than 500 African leaders called on governments to increase predictable domestic investment in agricultural research, establish sustainable agricultural development funds, strengthen public-private partnerships, expand innovative financing mechanisms and accelerate agricultural transformation across the continent.