Vice-President Kashim Shettima has announced plans for Nigeria to plant 20 billion trees from the next rainy season, while reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving food sovereignty through modern agricultural practices.
Shettima disclosed the plans during a visit to farms and agricultural facilities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, where he examined the country’s agricultural production systems and environmental initiatives.
According to a statement on his presentation made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday, the vice-president said Nigeria intended to draw lessons from Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, which combines environmental restoration with economic and livelihood benefits.
He acknowledged that implementing the proposed tree-planting campaign would require extensive planning, resources and public participation, pointing to Ethiopia’s ability to mobiliseits population for similar efforts.
“We will embark on a massive tree-planting campaign in the next rainy season and we intend to plant 20 billion trees,” Shettima said.
He added that the initiative was expected to support environmental restoration and create employment opportunities.
Beyond the environmental programme, Shettima identified food security as a key component of national sovereignty, arguing that countries heavily dependent on imported food risk compromising their independence.
“Food dependency compromises our sovereignty. Without independence in food production, a nation remains incomplete in its sovereignty,” he said.
He said Nigeria was pursuing food self-sufficiency through mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture, high-yield seeds and modern farming methods.
The vice-president also called for stronger agricultural cooperation between Nigeria and Ethiopia, describing the East African country’s agricultural transformation as an example other African nations could study.
“Ethiopia is a success story worthy of emulation,” he said, urging African countries to develop their capacity to feed their populations rather than rely excessively on external food supplies.
During the visit, President of the Oromia Regional State, Shimelis Abdisa, outlined Ethiopia’s agricultural achievements, including the cultivation of more than 200 crop varieties and the expansion of exports such as coffee, bananas and avocados.
Abdisa also said wheat production generated more than $3.1 billion annually for Ethiopia, adding that the country’s wheat remained competitive in international markets.
Shettima visited wheat, banana and papaya farms as part of the tour, which focused on agricultural production and strategies for expanding food supplies.
He said the combined population and economic potential of Nigeria and Ethiopia could help strengthen food security and stimulate wider development across Africa.
