Nigeria’s vice president highlights need for resilient food systems

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria’s vice president said Tuesday that the government’s commitment to sustainable food systems is a key strategy for eradicating poverty across the country and the systems must be resilient enough to improve nutrition security and reduce malnutrition.

Yemi Osinbajo, who was speaking at the opening of the National Consolidatory Dialogue on the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021 held in Abuja, noted that the sustainable food systems effort fits into the plan of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to eliminate poverty apart from realizing the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 agenda.

“We know that our target of lifting a hundred million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade is only achievable if we focus on substantially improving agriculture and food systems which assure us of not just good food, but also jobs.

“For the government of Nigeria, our commitment to sustainable food systems is one of the key strategies for eliminating poverty across Nigeria,” Laolu Akande, his spokesperson, quoted him as saying.

“We must realize that defining bold steps to improve food systems and, by extension, food security ensures that children have improved health, early development and increased intellectual and emotional readiness to learn,” he said.

“This translates to positive school engagement and improves the potential of children growing into healthy adults.

“On the other hand, imagine a generation of adults who suffer arrested physical and mental health, and the social and economic burden on their families, their communities, and the nation. Imagine the implications of approximately 50% of Nigeria’s population being at risk if we do not get it right,” he said.

Osinbajo called on all stakeholders to translate the recommendations of the dialogues to prompt action, noting that “it would mean embracing the changes required in the modernization of farming practices, mechanization and the reduction of post-harvest losses.”

Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed meanwhile said that dialogue is required to find lasting solutions to the lingering challenges of the food systems and associated forms of malnutrition in Nigeria.

“In line with the UN’s leadership directive, Nigeria under the leadership of the permanent secretary as the national convener has successfully organized an inception dialogue at the national level, exploratory dialogues in 12 states across the six geopolitical zones and local government and community level dialogues in eight communities selected from eight states,” she said.

“We have also had over 30 independent dialogues organized by a group of individuals as well as private organizations. With this, you will agree with one that the journey has been so tedious. But with our collective resolve to succeed, we were able to come this far.”