By Ndudirim Silvia Iloka
Nigeria and Spain are exploring stronger cooperation in agriculture, food production and livestock development following a meeting between Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, and Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas Puchades.
The meeting took place on Thursday at the Palacio de Fomento in Madrid, where the Spanish minister welcomed the newly appointed Nigerian envoy and congratulated him on formally assuming diplomatic duties in Spain.
During the meeting, Planas highlighted Spain’s advances in agricultural technology, particularly in crop disease management, improved seed varieties and food preservation systems. He said the application of such technologies had helped increase food production, improve livestock farming and reduce post-harvest losses.
The minister noted that Nigeria’s vast arable land presents significant opportunities for expanding food production and developing agricultural value chains. He also pointed to Spain’s experience in improving productivity through modern farming techniques and better storage systems.
Ikpeazu said agriculture remains a key priority for the Nigerian government as it seeks to improve food security, create jobs and unlock economic opportunities for the country’s growing youth population.
He said stronger agricultural development could also help address some of the economic factors driving irregular migration across Africa.
The Nigerian envoy praised Spain’s achievements in seed technology, livestock production and food preservation, stressing Nigeria’s interest in partnerships that could improve agricultural productivity and reduce losses associated with inadequate storage and transportation infrastructure.
Ikpeazu also referenced existing Spanish investments in Nigeria, including the operations of GB Foods in Kebbi and Ogun states, where the use of improved seedlings has significantly increased tomato yields.
He further expressed Nigeria’s interest in expanding animal production for both local consumption and export markets, describing the sector as an area with strong potential for bilateral cooperation.
The two sides agreed to encourage greater collaboration between government agencies and private-sector stakeholders, with emphasis on technology transfer, investment and agricultural innovation to strengthen economic and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Spain.
