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Federal ministries of Agriculture and Industry, Trade and Investment endorse Uyo 2026 conference.
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FAO, UNIDO and IFAD representatives expected at the four-day event.
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Organisers target food security, job creation, local processing and investment in agricultural value chains.
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Uyo Declaration to outline a 2026–2035 framework for climate-resilient agribusiness and food security.
October 24, (THEWILL) – The fifth Agribusiness Roundtable International Conference scheduled to hold in Uyo from October 25 to 28 has secured endorsements from two federal ministries, with representatives of key United Nations agencies expected to join government officials, investors and industry leaders to discuss strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.
The conference, tagged Uyo 2026, has received formal endorsements from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, while the permanent secretaries of both ministries have confirmed their participation, according to the organisers.
Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are also expected at the event, which will take place at Watbridge Hotels and Suites, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The conference is expected to bring together policymakers, farmers, agribusiness operators, processors, financial institutions, researchers and development partners to explore investment opportunities and practical solutions to challenges affecting agricultural production, food security and rural livelihoods.
Speaking after a strategic meeting between the Agribusiness Unit in the Office of the Governor and the Central Organising Committee, the committee’s convener and chairman, Howard Usen, said preparations were progressing, with stakeholders working towards a productive and well-coordinated event.
Usen said the conference would provide a platform for government, industry, farmers, investors and development partners to identify practical ways of strengthening agricultural value chains and expanding agribusiness opportunities.
The Director of the Agribusiness Unit welcomed the committee’s update and reaffirmed the unit’s readiness to support the conference, noting that it would also showcase the agricultural development priorities of Governor Umo Eno under the state’s ARISE Agenda.
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The conference, themed “Accelerating Agribusiness Transformation: Unlocking Value Chains to Achieve Food Security, Nutrition Sustainability, Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation, and National Prosperity”, will focus on agricultural value-chain development, food security, processing and value addition, post-harvest loss reduction, access to finance, climate resilience, market access and the participation of women and young people in agribusiness.
Exhibitors, farmers, cooperatives and entrepreneurs are also expected to showcase products, technologies and services while exploring business partnerships, investment opportunities and institutional collaborations.
A major feature of the conference will be the proposed Uyo Declaration on Climate-Resilient Agribusiness, Origin Processing, AfCFTA Trade Integration and Food Security, covering the 2026–2035 period.
The declaration is intended to establish a framework for sustained cooperation among government, private-sector operators, farmers, research institutions and development partners on climate-resilient agriculture, local processing, improved market access and inclusive economic development.
The organisers said recommendations for the declaration would be discussed and shaped through the conference, to extend collaboration beyond the four-day event.
The organising committee has invited federal and state agencies, development organisations, financial institutions, private companies, farmers’ associations, cooperatives, processors, entrepreneurs and members of the public to participate.
