For the second consecutive year, PiLAF participated in the regular meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS). The 47th regular meeting was held at the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Conference Hall, Kaduna State, from 3rd to 7th November 2025. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from government, development institutions, the private sector, researchers, and civil society to deliberate on strategic actions to advance Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and food security agenda.
Representing PiLAF at this high-level national council meeting was Dr. Oreoluwa Akano, who presented a policy memorandum for the council’s consideration and approval. The memo, titled “The Deployment of Policy and Investment Prioritization through Value Chain Analysis (PPVC) as an Instrument for Prioritizing Investments in Agricultural Value Chains and Facilitating Inclusive Transformation through a Market-Led Approach”. With support from the Gates Foundation – United States, the PPVC tool was developed by BFAP and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ANAPRI) is implementing it across several countries in Africa.
The presentation emphasized the critical role of evidence-based and market-oriented approaches in guiding public and private investment decisions towards high-impact agricultural value chains. It highlighted how the PPVC framework can support more efficient resource allocation, enhance productivity, create employment, alleviate poverty, improve household diet quality, and promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. Following deliberations, the Council approved the memo, underscoring the importance of data-driven policy tools in strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector. This approval marks a significant step towards the institutionalization and implementation of the PPVC framework as a strategic instrument for agricultural planning and investment prioritization.
Through this engagement, PiLAF continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing policy leadership and influence, strengthening institutional capacity, and supporting inclusive agricultural transformation in Nigeria and across Africa. The engagement further reinforces PiLAF’s mission to bridge research, policy, and practice to achieve resilient food systems, sustainable livelihoods, and long-term food security.