Thailand has announced plans to establish an agricultural learning centre in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen food security and development cooperation with African countries.
The announcement was made during a United Nations General Assembly debate on Africa’s development and international support for the continent on Monday in New York.
Speaking in Thailand’s national capacity, its representative identified Nigeria among four African countries proposed to host agricultural learning centres under the country’s development cooperation initiatives.
The other countries are Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Kenya, reflecting Thailand’s interest in expanding technical partnerships across different African regions.
The proposed centres are intended to strengthen agricultural knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, drawing on Thailand’s experience in agricultural development.
For Nigeria, the initiative could provide an additional platform for agricultural training, technical cooperation and exchanges aimed at improving food production.
The announcement comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen domestic agricultural productivity, improve food security and reduce dependence on imported food products.
Thailand’s latest proposal also builds on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement between Bangkok and Abuja.
In August, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, undertook an official visit to Nigeria and Ethiopia to strengthen relations with Africa.
During his visit to Abuja on August 25 and 26, Sihasak met Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
He also held discussions with Damtien Tchintchibidja, Vice-President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission.
Sihasak subsequently visited Lagos, where he participated in activities promoting business engagement and development cooperation between the two countries.
He also delivered opening remarks at the Thailand–Nigeria Business Forum, which brought together stakeholders interested in expanding commercial relations.
According to Thailand’s Foreign Ministry, the wider African visit produced five cooperation documents covering several areas of bilateral engagement.
These included arrangements to promote technical cooperation with Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry and development cooperation between educational institutions in both countries.
The agreements provide an additional institutional basis for strengthening exchanges of expertise and developing practical cooperation programmes.
Thailand said its development cooperation activities had benefited more than 4,000 African officials and practitioners over approximately three decades.
Thailand, however, has not publicly specified the Nigerian centre’s location, estimated cost, commencement date, or operational arrangements in the General Assembly intervention.
