The Federal Government has called on the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to align interventions with Nigeria’s national development priorities to ensure greater impact, sustainability and measurable outcomes.

The call came as KOICA and the FAO prepare to implement a new multi-bilateral agricultural project in Nigeria.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, made the call on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by KOICA officials to brief the Ministry on the KOICA-FAO 2026 Multi-Bilateral Project.

The project aims to promote resilient agricultural systems and create green jobs for youths in Nigeria and other participating African countries.

While appreciating the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and the Korean government through KOICA, Bagudu stressed the importance of designing development programmes that are focused, measurable and capable of delivering scalable results.

He noted that Nigeria’s relationship with Korea offers valuable lessons, given Korea’s remarkable transformation from an agricultural economy to a major global economic player.

“Beyond the support we receive, there is much Nigeria can learn from Korea’s experience, particularly in agriculture, food production, value addition and export development,” the minister said.

Bagudu emphasised that development partners’ interventions must align with Nigeria’s development framework, including the country’s long-term vision under Agenda 2050.

He noted that the federal structure, with responsibilities shared among federal, state and local governments, makes coordination essential to achieving sustainable development outcomes.

The minister encouraged KOICA and the FAO to adopt a more targeted approach, focusing interventions on specific communities where results can be measured and replicated.

According to him, spreading projects too widely without sufficient depth may limit their effectiveness, whereas focused interventions could produce successful models that attract further investment and expansion.

“We need programmes that can produce concepts that work, can be scaled and can attract the private sector,” he said.

Bagudu emphasised the importance of aligning agricultural interventions with economic realities and priorities of beneficiary communities.

He cited Nasarawa state as an example, noting that women rice farmers and processors could benefit from improved technology, skills development and stronger market access.

He also highlighted opportunities in Bayelsa state, particularly in aquaculture, where targeted support could unlock significant economic potential and promote sustainable production.

The minister stressed that empowering farmers required more than production support, as they must also be equipped with knowledge of market demands, value addition and globally competitive agricultural practices.

He said Nigeria has significant opportunities in commodities such as sesame, cocoa, fisheries and other high-value agricultural products, adding that the country’s farmers should be supported in accessing international markets.

“Sometimes, what is needed is to teach people what the world requires — to help them move from traditional production to producing what the market values,” Bagudu said.

He urged KOICA and the FAO to integrate their intervention with existing government programmes, including the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which aims to coordinate development activities across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards.

The minister explained that a ward-based approach would help to prevent project duplication, improve stakeholder coordination and ensure that interventions address the specific needs of communities.

The Senior Deputy Country Director of KOICA, Baik Ki-Hyun, disclosed that the project had been approved by KOICA’s headquarters and would run from 2026 to 2030.

He explained that the initiative followed extensive consultations, surveys and assessments carried out with the FAO, external experts and relevant Nigerian authorities.