The Federal Government, in collaboration with partners, has launched the Nigeria sub-national Food Systems Dashboard to guide actions and policy decisions on food systems and food security in the country.
The partners include the United States Agency for International Development, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
Speaking at the launch yesterday in Abuja, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said it is not just a data storehouse but a simple-to-use tool that will drive the transformation of food systems at national and local levels.
In July, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the food sector, signifying the urgency with which the government intends to address the growing food security concerns.
Abdullahi explained that the dashboard will guide Nigeria’s policymakers and businesses at both national and sub-national levels to make informed decisions and address challenges in the country’s food system.
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The dashboard will also serve as a platform to promote collaboration and synergy between different components of the food system, he said, adding that it is also linked to the dashboard controlling the Global Food System.
Abdullahi added that the dashboard incorporates 99 identified and tested indicators for a comprehensive view of Nigeria’s food system at all levels.
“It offers a list of suggested policy actions and decisions for each state based on thorough diagnosis of the data collected by the dashboard. These actions have the potential to improve the food system and advance national development efforts,” he noted.
Michael Ojo, country director of GAIN in Nigeria, said the dashboard has created an opportunity for the government to examine areas in which Nigeria has not done well compared to other countries in Africa.
He added that researchers, scholars, and students will also have easy access to comprehensive data to identify and analyse emerging ideas and trends in the country’s food system.
While noting that the dashboard will help business leaders and entrepreneurs identify areas of investment, he said it will also inform basic research and reporting to the government, policy analysts, statistical agencies, and support partners.
