The Federal Government has appealed to the United Nations to assist it in its effort to ensure a sustainable food system in the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari made the call on Tuesday when he received the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Dr. Amina Mohammed in his office in Abuja.
Senator Kyari said with a large population and growing demand for food security, Nigeria’s partnership with the United Nations is critical to meet the attendant huge consumption demand in the immediate and long-term Plan of Action.
He said the Ministry is totally committed to providing the desired policy direction to steer the agriculture and food security sector.
According to him, “It should be noted that Nigeria has a long-standing history of cooperation with some of the UN Organizations across various sectors, including agriculture such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Labour Organization (ILO), World Food Programme (WFP), World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Organization for Refugees, etc with notable success stories. These bodies have been working as key development partners with Nigeria since 1960, to achieve sustainable food systems pathway.”
The Minister recalled the support from the various UN agencies and called for more support in view of the heightened hunger arising from the high cost of food in the country.
“Your visit to the FMAFS-Nigeria is apt and timely to create a new paradigm shift that will further improve the agriculture sector with food systems, the UN transformation pathway and request to establish stronger partnership to strengthen the existing cooperation and make projects for new ties for sustainable development,” Kyari said, adding, “We must rise to the occasion and invest massively in agriculture leveraging the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) 1 and 2 which you could use your global influence to explore opportunities for Nigeria to create jobs, diversify the economy and reduce food imports.”
Responding, the Deputy Secretary General of the UN, Dr. Mohammad, promised that the UN will surely assist but this time with more sense of urgency.
She advised the Nigerian government to invest resources where it matters most as that is the only way to attract external assistance.
According to her, “Whatever support we will be giving will be building on what we are already doing. Sure we are going to support the government but much is expected from the government. When we see what the government is doing, we will know how to come in.”
The UN Deputy Secretary General said part of the problem Nigeria has is that it has been building from the roof.
“Why should everything be concentrated on the Federal Government when we should have focused on the local and state governments,” she said.
She noted that empowering the local governments and state governments will boost the nation’s economy adding that Nigeria has more potential than challenges.