EU, NESG unveil framework for food security

The European Union (EU) and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) have unveiled policy frameworks and documents aimed at revitalising agricultural production, strengthening food security and raising farmers’ incomes, signalling a decisive shift toward more interventionist strategies to cushion agriculture from global volatility.

In Europe, the push follows an extraordinary meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers on January 7, where the European Commission elevated food security to a core pillar of the Union’s broader security and sovereignty agenda. Confronted with market uncertainty, climate pressures and persistently high input costs, the Commission announced a mix of financial backing and regulatory safeguards to stabilise farm incomes while sustaining large-scale production.

At the centre of the plan is the protection of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget, including a proposed National and Regional Partnership Fund of 293.7 billion euros to ensure predictable income support and long-term investment capacity for farmers across the bloc.

The Commission also moved to double its crisis reserve through a new €6.3 billion Unity Safety Net to shield farmers from natural disasters, climate shocks and animal diseases.

Recognising the strategic importance of farm inputs, Brussels proposed temporary tariff reductions on ammonia and urea to ease fertiliser costs and improve availability. Member States will also be able to strengthen rural development spending through new National and Regional Partnership Plans, while a semi-automatic “handbrake” mechanism will allow the EU to respond swiftly to import surges that threaten domestic producers. An implementation dialogue scheduled for the first quarter of 2026 will assess the cumulative impact of environmental regulations on farmers.

EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, stressed that farming remains central to Europe’s strategic autonomy. “Farming and the agri-food sector are essential for European sovereignty and strategic autonomy. And the Common Agricultural Policy is our core instrument to support farmers. In the future CAP, farmers’ income support is safeguarded and guaranteed,” he said.

Hansen explained that, beyond a minimum €300 billion ring-fenced for farmers in the next EU budget, at least 10 per cent of each National and Regional Partnership Plan would be dedicated to rural development, amounting to about €49 billion, and potentially rising to almost €63 billion when catalyst loans are included. “We also proposed to Member States to mobilise an additional €45 billion to support farmers and rural communities,” he added, noting that agriculture would further benefit from the European Competitiveness Fund and a €40 billion research programme covering biotech, the bioeconomy, health and agriculture.

On fertiliser policy, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, warned that costs remain dangerously high despite recent stabilisation. “While prices have stabilised, fertiliser costs remain around 60 per cent higher than in 2020. That is simply not sustainable,” he said. According to him, the Commission will propose the temporary suspension of remaining MFN tariffs on ammonia, urea and, where necessary, other fertilisers. “Robust safeguards will ensure that this relief is well-targeted and that its benefits flow directly to farmers,” he added.

In Nigeria, a parallel sense of urgency emerged at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #31), where policymakers and business leaders rallied around agriculture and agribusiness as engines of industrialisation and competitiveness. The summit concluded with a mandate to build a prosperous and inclusive Nigeria by 2030, anchored on a shift from a consumption-driven economy to a production-based one.

The NESG framework prioritises infrastructure, innovation and regional integration, with a strong emphasis on value-chain development rather than raw commodity exports. Participants underscored the need to institutionalise policy coherence and execution discipline to end frequent reversals that have long undermined agricultural growth. Digital tools, improved access to finance and targeted reforms were identified as critical to unlocking agribusiness potential.

To ensure that reforms deliver tangible gains for farmers, the NESG called on federal and state governments to deepen decentralisation, empower local governments and strengthen accountability frameworks for agricultural funding. The group also advocated a decisive shift toward value-added processing and agro-industrial development.

As part of its reform push, the summit proposed scaling up a Citizen Delivery Tracker to monitor government performance on agricultural commitments, while integrating socio-economic interventions with security operations to protect farming communities from regional disparities and exclusion.

Advertisement