The ECOWAS agricultural policy and the quest for food security: assessing Nigeria’s implementation strategies

The major objective of this study is to assess the complementarities of the measures adopted by Nigeria vis-à-vis the Economic Community of West African States Agricultural Policy and the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (ECOWAP/CAADP). Within this context, the study examines the extent to which Nigeria has leveraged its agricultural sector to roll away food insecurity in terms of increased productivity and competitiveness. In 2003, African leaders initiated the CAADP to revitalize and leverage the agricultural sector to drive development on the continent. Consistent with the CAADP, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) developed its agricultural policy named ECOWAP in 2005. In the same vein, Nigeria developed a number of policy documents in line with the overarching thrusts of the ECOWAP/CAADP to boost the productivity and competitiveness of its agricultural sector. This study employs both primary and secondary data, which are analyzed through logical inductive method to evaluate the extent to which Nigeria has achieved the ECOWAP/CAADP commitments. It finds that despite the various programs evolved by the Nigerian government to leverage its enormous agricultural potentials, the country is neither on track to achieving food security nor becoming a major player in the global food market.