FG Seeks UN Intervention On Food Security

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is leading the federal government’s
collaboration with the United Nations to curb hunger, combat
malnutrition, and reduce poor diet-related diseases, among
others.

This is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda to lift
100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade and the
globally acclaimed Sustainable Development Goals.

The federal government and the United Nations had led series of
public dialogues at national and sub-national levels that
culminated in the presentation of the Nigeria Food Systems mapping
report to state governments across the six geo-political zones.

Osinbajo made the presentation in Abuja yesterday at a
Consolidatory Dialogue for the UN Food Systems Summit attended by
some governors, the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Ms. Amina
Mohammed, members of the Federal Executive Council, Nigeria’s
development partners, and other dignitaries from the academia,
private and public sectors.

Speaking at the event, the vice president said aside from the
goal of realising 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and
guaranteeing food security for a growing population, the
sustainable food systems effort fit into the plan of the Buhari
administration to eliminate poverty in Nigeria.

He said: “For the government of Nigeria, our commitment to
sustainable food systems is one of the key strategies for
eliminating poverty across Nigeria.

“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.

“This perspective on addressing hunger, malnutrition, and
poverty runs through our policy frameworks, including our recently
launched National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy, and our
Nutrition Policy that addresses the issues of a sustainable and
nutrition-sensitive food system.”

Osinbajo stressed the need to develop more efficient food
systems, adding that the nation’s food system must be resilient
enough to significantly impact nutrition security and collective
efforts must reduce the malnutrition numbers.

He emphasised the need to realise that defining bold steps to
improve food systems and by extension, food security, ensure that
children have improved health, early development and increased
intellectual and emotional readiness to learn.

This, he explained, will translate 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.”

Osinbajo urged stakeholders to translate the recommendations of
the dialogues to prompt action, noting that it would mean embracing
the changes required in modernisation of farming practices,
mechanisation, and reduction of post-harvest losses.

“We must ensure that we practice environmentally sustainable
production; we must empower our communities by creating jobs and
livelihoods to sustain the food systems we desire,” the vice
president added.

Osinbajo said the call by the United Nations Secretary-General
on sustainable food systems was apt and timely, adding that it
provides the opportunity to re-examine all the elements of the food
system in Nigeria.

“I have no doubt that the 39 dialogues held nationally and
sub-nationally have been accessible to all stakeholders and able to
identify those challenges that still, clog our wheel of progress
especially in the relevant sectors,” he said.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is leading the federal government’s
collaboration with the United Nations to curb hunger, combat
malnutrition, and reduce poor diet-related diseases, among
others.

This is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda to lift
100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade and the
globally acclaimed Sustainable Development Goals.

The federal government and the United Nations had led series of
public dialogues at national and sub-national levels that
culminated in the presentation of the Nigeria Food Systems mapping
report to state governments across the six geo-political zones.

Osinbajo made the presentation in Abuja yesterday at a
Consolidatory Dialogue for the UN Food Systems Summit attended by
some governors, the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Ms. Amina
Mohammed, members of the Federal Executive Council, Nigeria’s
development partners, and other dignitaries from the academia,
private and public sectors.

Speaking at the event, the vice president said aside from the
goal of realising 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and
guaranteeing food security for a growing population, the
sustainable food systems effort fit into the plan of the Buhari
administration to eliminate poverty in Nigeria.

He said: “For the government of Nigeria, our commitment to
sustainable food systems is one of the key strategies for
eliminating poverty across Nigeria.

“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.

“This perspective on addressing hunger, malnutrition, and
poverty runs through our policy frameworks, including our recently
launched National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy, and our
Nutrition Policy that addresses the issues of a sustainable and
nutrition-sensitive food system.”

Osinbajo stressed the need to develop more efficient food
systems, adding that the nation’s food system must be resilient
enough to significantly impact nutrition security and collective
efforts must reduce the malnutrition numbers.

He emphasised the need to realise that defining bold steps to
improve food systems and by extension, food security, ensure that
children have improved health, early development and increased
intellectual and emotional readiness to learn.

This, he explained, will translate 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.”

Osinbajo urged stakeholders to translate the recommendations of
the dialogues to prompt action, noting that it would mean embracing
the changes required in modernisation of farming practices,
mechanisation, and reduction of post-harvest losses.

“We must ensure that we practice environmentally sustainable
production; we must empower our communities by creating jobs and
livelihoods to sustain the food systems we desire,” the vice
president added.

Osinbajo said the call by the United Nations Secretary-General
on sustainable food systems was apt and timely, adding that it
provides the opportunity to re-examine all the elements of the food
system in Nigeria.

“I have no doubt that the 39 dialogues held nationally and
sub-nationally have been accessible to all stakeholders and able to
identify those challenges that still, clog our wheel of progress
especially in the relevant sectors,” he said.