Nigeria and Thailand have moved to deepen cooperation in agriculture, with a renewed focus on research, innovation, technology transfer and human-capacity development to boost food production and strengthen food security.
The call was made by the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the launch of an initiative of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) in Lagos.
ARCN Executive Secretary, Adamu Abubakar Dabban, said stronger international partnerships were critical to accelerating agricultural development through knowledge sharing, modern technology and collaborative research.
Dabban said closer collaboration between Nigerian and Thai agricultural institutions would create opportunities for researchers, farmers and other stakeholders to access innovative ideas and practical solutions to challenges affecting food production.
He reaffirmed ARCN’s commitment to partnerships that advance agricultural research, innovation and technology transfer, noting that such initiatives would support Nigeria’s efforts to achieve food security.
Also speaking, the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, Dr Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu, said the partnership was structured to deliver sustainable benefits to host communities and a wide range of stakeholders.
According to him, the beneficiaries would include students, farmers, cooperative societies, private-sector operators and innovators.
In a presentation titled “Insights into the Thai-Nigeria Collaborative Framework,” Obidiegwu traced the history of engagement and communication between Nigeria and Thailand that eventually led to the current partnership.
He said the collaboration would strengthen agricultural research and innovation while promoting technology transfer, capacity building and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.
The signing of the MoU and launch of the TICA initiative, the council said, represent a significant milestone in Nigeria-Thailand relations and efforts to develop a more productive, resilient and technology-driven agricultural sector.
The initiative is also expected to contribute to the broader food security objectives of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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