STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

WHY WE ARE TRANSFORMING OUR FOOD SYSTEMS, BY OSINBAJO

FG tackling inflation & other causes of food insecurity

National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy also addresses hunger & malnutrition

Forthcoming UN Food Summit, ongoing dialogues crucial – VP


Transforming Africa’s food system is an obvious task requiring the active mobilization and prioritization of both public and private investments, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

This explains the resolve of the Federal Government in complementing existing development plans, sectoral strategies, and prioritizing investments in specific innovations and technologies to transform food systems in the country.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this today in his remarks delivered virtually at the preparatory meeting of the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021. The Pre-Summit is a prelude to the culminating global event scheduled for Rome, Italy in September, 2021, an event the Vice President described as crucial just as the previous dialogues held in several countries on food systems.

Sharing insights on Nigeria’s efforts, the Vice President noted that “the Nigerian Government is committed to addressing the drivers of food insecurity such as food inflation, changing consumption patterns and climate change, amongst other things.

“At the same time and as an outcome of 40 different food systems dialogues in which up to 5,000 people participated, Nigeria is prioritizing investments in specific innovations and technologies to scale up and transform food systems.

“These actions complement existing development plans and sectoral strategies such as our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, the National Policy on Food and Nutrition, and the National Policy on Food Safety.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “a specific aim of our recently launched National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy is to address hunger, malnutrition and poverty as part of our target of lifting a hundred million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade.”

The VP explained that at the heart of Nigeria’s post-COVID-19 response is the Economic Sustainability Plan, noting that the “plan has a major component, which is the Agriculture for Food and Jobs Programme (AFJP) where we seek to leverage suitable technologies to build a resilient food system for Nigeria.”

“Our Nutrition Policy addresses the issues of sustainable and nutrition-sensitive food systems - and the country has prioritized key nutrition actions that are impactful, cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable.

“An integral part of our food systems’ transformation strategy is to create an enabling and supportive environment to implement these policies in a participatory manner involving farmers, investors and State Governments,” the VP added, assuring significant improvements in crop yields, affordable and healthy diets, among others.

Making a case for initiatives that support Africa and other developing countries, Prof. Osinbajo said, "for example, when, as in our country and several others, population growth exceeds growth in national income, food supply would not meet the needs of people, especially when distribution systems are inequitable.”

According to him, “post-harvest losses in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, are more than 20% of production for several food groups. And this is due mainly to poor storage, poor rural infrastructure and non-automation of food processing, amongst other things.

“The situation in many African countries is given increased urgency with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to growing levels of acute food insecurity. This is of great concern to all of us, especially if we recall that prior to the pandemic, the prevalence of severe food insecurity was as high as 22%.”

Acknowledging the work done by Nigeria earlier in her remarks, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed said “let me commend the effort of my home country, Nigeria, especially the Vice President, for leading six ministers including the Minister of Finance, in the dialogues and other efforts aimed at building sustainable food systems in the country.”

“Food unites us all, as families, as communities, as cultures and as humanity, now let’s use it to unite around the urgency and the actions that are needed to transform our world by 2030,” she noted.

She added that the summit is designed to guide national governments and other stakeholders looking to leverage their food systems to support the SDGs, noting that food systems play a central role in building a fairer, more sustainable world.

Aside from VP Osinbajo and Mohammed, participants at the second day of the preparatory meeting include the Prime Minister of Italy, Mr Mario Draghi; Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; Ministers representing India, Canada, China, Norway, Egypt, amongst many other countries.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
27th July 2021

Osibanjo is a Skull miner. fcking pagan practitioner

Undeniable transformations.... for example, garri is now a rich man's food.

Bargaining power is the best approach for now. The price of commodities keep increasing really, insecurity is one of the factors, government need to find lasting solution.

Hangmnk:
Osibanjo is a Skull miner. fcking pagan practitioner

Mere seeing your comment will deduce how slowpoke,useless you are

One of the major things while there is incessant increasing in food is as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and the insecurity and we are begging the federal government to pls crash the prices of food and commodity to make like easier for the populace

Wow awesome, this will definitely bring about development in the food industry

With the way things are going especially with the prices of food. This will surely help in combating the causes.

Technological innovations are needed in food processing in order to safeguard food production

Food is the number one basic need of every man, I'm glad the federal govt is addressing the issue of food security at this critical time of high food prices in Nigeria .

5 ways to transform our food system to benefit people

1. Harness the regenerative power of our Earth
2. Build stronger local & circular food systems
3. Give farmers a voice & support their planet-positive choices
4. Move from low cost to true cost
5. Foster radical collaboration

Food security is a basic human need and fighting hunger is one of the greatest challenges of this century. strong argument that encourages analyzing food security issues is the importance of food in our lives. There is evidence that climate change, economic development, and conflict affect food security negatively.

That's the mean reason the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy is been launched to address hunger, malnutrition and poverty as part of the target to lift hundred million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade. �