Toward Developing Agriculture in Nigeria: The Role of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and United States Agency International Development (USAID)

The study explores the role of international agricultural organizations in developing agriculture in Nigeria with a special focus on the role of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The study adopted o sort of desktop review using information from secondary sources such as journal articles, and publications by USAID and IFPRI among others. A cursory review was specifically made of the concept of agricultural development, the trajectory of agricultural development policies and programs over the years and constraints to their effective implementation, and an overview of the role of international organizations towards agricultural development. The study findings showed that the Nigerian has formulated a plethora of agricultural policies and programs which till now had not translated to the attainment of the food self-sufficiency goal of the federal government. It is also revealed from the study that international agricultural organizations have in several ways played a dominant role in developing agriculture in Nigeria. Specifically, IFPRI and USAID played key roles in the agricultural development of the nation in such areas as strengthening agricultural-sector policies and strategies, poverty and unemployment reduction initiatives, tackling food insecurity issues, strengthening various agricultural commodities value chains, setting multi-million dollar agricultural projects in selected states, among others. Some implications of these foreign aids were also identified. The study recommended among other measures that while partnering with foreign agencies for development aid or assistance, the enabling environment for them to thrive should be provided by the Nigerian government, and above all, the government should ensure such international organizations seek and explore practical operative mechanisms that can reduce to the barest minimum their continued involvement in the Nigerian agricultural policies and programs formulation and implementation.