The Federal Government has unveiled a digital platform designed to strengthen the surveillance and early detection of transboundary plant diseases across West and Central Africa.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, unveiled the Central and West African Virus Epidemiology, WAVE, platform during the WAVE Regional Convening in Abuja.
Abdullahi said the platform would improve disease detection, strengthen early warning systems and enable governments to make faster, evidence based decisions during outbreaks.
He said Nigeria was selected as the demonstration country, reflecting the government’s commitment to modernising agriculture and improving pest surveillance through digital technology.
The minister warned that pests and diseases such as Fall Armyworm, Cassava Brown Streak Disease, Banana Bunchy Top Virus and Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease continued to threaten food production, farmers’ livelihoods and regional trade.
He added that climate change was accelerating the spread of these threats, making early detection and coordinated regional responses increasingly important.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, urged stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and develop science based solutions to improve food security across the region.
Earlier, the Executive Director of WAVE, Prof. Justin Pita, said the initiative was designed to predict and control viral diseases affecting cassava, yam and sweet potato production.
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