By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Nigeria is set to participate in a two-day programme at the United Nations Food System Summit in Rome for 23rd to 24 July, 2023 on the implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria.
Engr. Nebeolisa Anako, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, disclosed this on Wednessday in Abuja at a media parley.
The event which is holding on 23rd and 24th July, 2023 is expected to bring together world leaders, as well as captains of agro- allied industry and investors in food related areas across the globe.
Anako explained that in 2020, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, had called on countries to come up with modalities to improve their food systems as well as make their food systems to be more resilient, responsive and sustainable in the quest to achieving the Sustainabe Developent Goals(SDGs).
He noted that his ministry in line with its mandate had organised and coordinated stakeholders in the food value chain to address the challenges of the food systems.
According to him, “In line with the directives of the Secretary General, Nigeria organised 40 Dialogues between January to July, 2021 with the participation of the over 4,000 stakeholders drawn from the government, organised private sector, civil society, farmers, women and youth, children, rural farming communities, fishermen and development partners.
“After the series of dialogues, all the stakeholders’ ideas and suggestions for transforming the food systems were synthesised into about 80 Recommendations.
“The preliminary report of the Dialogues was presented at the Food Systems Pre-summit that took place in Rome in July, 2021.
“This stock taking moment also Tagged UNFSS+ 2 marks two years since the meeting in Rome. While the final report was presented by the then President Muhammad Buhari, in NewYork on the 23rd September, 2021 in New-York.”
He, therefore, explained that at the stock taking event, countries across the world would give account of what they have been able to do to improve their food systems two years after.
While giving an overview of Nigeria’s UN Food System Summit implementation and preparations for the stock-taking moments in Rome, Dr. Sanjo Faniran, National Convener, said food systems touch every aspect of human existence, as it affects health as well as environment,economies and cultures.
Faniran pointed out that the current food systems are not all functioning well and beset by complex multiple challenges such as climate change, poor infrastructure, among others.
He added that UN Food System Summit would guide governments and other stakeholders to identify and
implement reforms that would transform food systems towards achieving the SDGs.
He said for Nigeria to achieve significant transformation in her food system requires
smart partnership,strong political will,
right policies, governance and business models.
He called on all Nigerians to rise up and participate in farming wherever they reside to achieve “Operation Feed Yourself.”
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, warned that a nation that cannot feed her citizenry has set stage for insecurity.
Umakhihe who was represented by Mrs.Sugra Mahmood, Director, Nutrition and Food Safety, in the Ministry, identified climate change, post-harvest losses, limited access to finance and technology, aging farming population, inadequate infrastructure and energy crisis as some of the plethora of challenges plaguing food productivity in Nigeria.
He however, expressed optimism that agricultural sector would witness a new lease of life and transformation, following the recent declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
