The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Brazil’s agricultural research institution, Embrapa, to accelerate agricultural transformation and strengthen food security across Africa.
Kyari made the call while speaking at an Embrapa-organised side event at the 2026 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF2026), where he highlighted Brazil’s success in transforming its tropical agriculture and urged Nigeria to tap into the country’s expertise.
The minister identified agricultural research, technology transfer, mechanisation and climate-resilient farming as key areas where stronger Nigeria-Brazil cooperation could deliver significant gains.
According to him, Africa must develop agricultural solutions that reflect its peculiar conditions rather than rely solely on imported technologies.
He advocated stronger South-South cooperation, joint research programmes and knowledge exchange between African countries and emerging agricultural powers such as Brazil.
“Nigeria has the land, the people and the market to become an agricultural powerhouse,” Kyari said.
He stressed that the country must translate its enormous agricultural potential into increased productivity, employment opportunities and improved food security.
Kyari reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen its partnership with Embrapa and Brazil, insisting that the success of the collaboration should ultimately be measured by tangible improvements in agricultural productivity and the prosperity of farmers.
The minister’s push for expanded cooperation comes as African countries intensify efforts to build resilient food systems capable of responding to climate change, population growth and rising demand for food.
He said Nigeria was prepared to leverage international partnerships while ensuring that research and technologies adopted from abroad were adapted to local realities and delivered measurable benefits to farmers.
