As global food supply continues to face pressure from climate shocks, insecurity and volatile international markets, Nigeria and the European Union have introduced new policy frameworks aimed at securing farmer livelihoods, stabilising food production and strengthening agricultural resilience.
In Brussels, agriculture has now moved to the centre of Europe’s broader security and strategic autonomy debate. During an emergency meeting of EU agriculture ministers on January 7, the European Commission declared that food production must be treated as an issue of sovereignty and economic independence.
The Commission outlined plans to protect farmers’ incomes while sustaining large–scale agricultural production across member states. Central to the strategy is the safeguarding of funding under the Common Agricultural Policy, with a proposed €293.7 billion National and Regional Partnership Fund to support income stability and long-term investment in farming.
Another major emphasis is crisis preparedness. The EU revealed plans for a €6.3 billion Unity Safety Net, designed to protect farmers against climate-induced disasters, outbreaks of animal disease and other shocks capable of destabilising food production. Temporary tariff reductions on critical fertilisers such as ammonia and urea were also proposed to cushion rising input costs.
EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner, Christophe Hansen, affirmed that farming would remain key to Europe’s economic independence, noting that income support for farmers would be ring-fenced in the next EU budget. Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič added that fertiliser costs remain significantly higher compared to pre-pandemic levels, stressing that tariff relief would be closely monitored to guarantee fair competition.
While Europe is reinforcing its agricultural protection systems, Nigeria is equally repositioning its food economy. At the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit, policymakers and private sector leaders emphasised that agriculture must play a central role in national productivity and inclusive economic growth by 2030.
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) advocated for a shift from a consumption-driven economy toward a production-led model anchored on agribusiness expansion, value chains, agro-processing and industrial linkages. Stakeholders highlighted policy inconsistency, weak implementation and limited financing as barriers that must be urgently addressed.
Infrastructure development, innovation, decentralisation, security in farming communities and accountability in agricultural spending were also identified as critical areas requiring priority action. The summit further recommended strengthening digital tools for market access, credit transparency and public monitoring through a Citizen Delivery Tracker.
With Nigeria’s food inflation rising and global supply chains increasingly unstable, analysts believe the renewed focus on agriculture—both locally and internationally—signals a growing recognition that food security is now a matter of national stability, economic resilience and social protection
