FG commits to implementation of UN food system transformation

The Federal Government has said that it is committed to implementing the food system tranformation pathway with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Nebeolisa Anako, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning stated this at a two-day retreat with zonal permanent secretaries, directors and management staff of the ministry in Uzanu, Etsako East Local Government of Edo state.

Anako, represented by Gloria Ahmed, director, special duties, federal ministry of finance, budget and national planning, explained that the retreat was to provide a platform for a coordinated approach in the implementation of food systems transformation pathways and to brainstorm on how to achieve a successful outing at the forthcoming Stock Taking Moment (STM) between July 24 and July 26 in Rome.

He recalled that the journey of the food systems transformation pathways in Nigeria, which started in September 2021, was in response to the call by the Secretary General of United Nation at the UN food system summit for countries, who urged countries to leverage the power of food systems to drive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and get back on track to achieving all 17 SDGs by 2030.

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“The summit prompted all member countries of the UN to look inward and advance sustainable innovative strategies towards ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition locally. Since 2021, Nigeria has set the ball rolling to actualize food systems transformation through the series of dialogues at all levels of government with active participation of relevant groups such as women, youth, indigenous people, Non Governmental Organisation as well as private sector,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary pointed out that the ministry had constituted a multi sectoral and multi stakeholder implementation task team that include all relevant stakeholders and development partners “to serve as think-tank for effective implementation of the 78 priority recommendations.

“The 78 recommendations will change the narratives and serve as a game changer to our food systems from the farm to folk and finally to waste. The task team has produced the 2023 action plan with 10 implementable activities within the pathways. I want to state that the 2023 action plan was produce to ensure continuity and flow from 2022 programmes and to be able to produce country report ahead of the global stock taking place July in Rome.

“The implementation, therefore, requires the commitment of all of us to sustain the commitment of Nigeria to transformation of food systems in the spirit of achieving the National Development Plan 2021-2025; Nigeria Agenda 2050; Africa Union agenda 2063 and UN agenda 2030” he added.

Speaking also, Faniran Sanjo, National Converner of Food System Pathways, said the goals of the food system transformation pathways is to reduce poverty, hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, food imports and promote sustainable food trade.

He explained that the national supply of nutritious foods is not sufficient to meet the nutrition and health needs of the population, and called for collaboration among stakeholders to achieve food system in the country.