Agba inaugurates steering committee on implementation of food systems transformation pathway in Nigeria

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, on Thursday in Abuja, inaugurated the steering committee on the implementation of the food systems transformation pathway in Nigeria.

The committee is expected to transform the nation’s food systems across all the six geopolitical zones for the sustainable development of Nigeria.

The committee is among other things saddled with the provision of leadership for zonal coordination of the implementation of the food systems ransformation pathways in all the 36 states, including FCT; receive updates from the states in the six geopolitical zones; lead advocacy to the state governors and Governors’ Forum in each geopolitical zones as well as head of potential philanthropic private sectors and ministers of stakeholder MDAs at the federal level.

Other terms of reference for the committee, include to galvanize both political and financial support for implementation by critical stakeholders in each geopolitical zones, including the private sector and potential donors in the six zones; lead the states in each zone to leverage comparative advantage of the zones to agree on priority projects for promotion in each geopolitical zones; work collaboratively with the National Convenor on implementation and peer-review mechanism among zones; receive implementation report, review and approve as national document for high level policy makers; advise and recommend the review of the priority actions in the food systems transformation as may be required by the UN Food systems coordination hub; and supervise the activities of the appointed zonal coordinating directors and TWG of state and federal MDAs.

He said that the steering committee would provide leadership for the implementation of all the 78 recommendations for transforming food systems.

“As the coordinating Ministry, we have constituted a multisectoral and multi stakeholder implementation Task Team including all relevant stakeholders and our development partners to serve as a think tank for effective implementation of all the 78 priority recommendations that will change the narrative and serve as game changer to our food systems from the farm to folk and finally to waste.”

According to the minister due diligence was undertaken in the identification of the committee members who would drive the implementation of the food system both at the national and sub national levels of government in the country.

Prince Agba said members of the steering committee were carefully chosen, taking into consideration good performances to the transformation of nutrition in Nigeria.

He asserted that there was no better time to inaugurate the committee than now, considering that the present administration was transiting to a new one on May 29, 2023.

“I am confident that the committee will no doubt institutionalize and sustain our efforts at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with emphasis on sustainable healthy and nutritious food in Nigeria,” he noted.

The minister recalled that the journey for transforming the nation’s food systems started in 2020 with the call by the Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Antonio Guterres that countries should take proactive measures to make their food systems more sustainable and resilient since year 2021 -2030 had been designated as the UN Decade of Action for sustainable development Goals (SDGs).

He disclosed that the outcome of all the dialogues were eventually synchronized into long, medium and short-term transformation pathways for Nigeria.

“It is the clustering of implementation in phases that provided clear implementable pathways presented by President Muhammadu Buhari in New York on 23rd September 2021.

“Based on this, we were able to identify priorities that the government of Nigeria will run with in the short term beginning from January 2022 in collaboration with all of us, other key stakeholders and our development partners particularly the three UN lead Agencies for the food systems transformation pathways, including FAO, WFP and IFAD that are co-chairing this Committee.

“As you be aware, there are three quick win programmes in the 0 actions with clear responsibilities that the government commenced implementation with in 2022.”

He explained that the three quick win programmes, include the federal government through NiMet and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD); Regularly collect and disseminate (through radio and other platforms) information about weather patterns and soil properties and best practices for crops, livestock, aquaculture, and poultry production.

“Information is disseminated in time to inform food production decisions for each rainy and dry season; states establish farm settlements/estates made up of groups of smallholder producers, including women and youths, and use estates to increase input supply, machinery hiring, extension and other services, and market access.

“Farm settlement estates include all basic amenities (including internet) to discourage rural to urban migration; and the federal government through LGAs Promote Operation Feed Yourself by helping households to access information and inputs that will encourage them to produce food around their houses to feed their families.”

He said that the Task Team had produced the 2023 Action Plan with 10 implementable activities within the pathways including the 2022 low hanging fruits.

“The Team is also working with the Technical Working Group {TWG} of stakeholder MDAs at federal level and have commenced the development of a robust costed Implementation Strategy and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for all the priority actions in the pathway.

“The Work – In – Progress Strategy document will elicit inputs from all states to ensure inclusiveness before it is eventually adopted for use.

“However, the 2023 Action Plan was produced to ensure continuity and flow from 2022 programmes and to be able to produce Country Report ahead of the global stock-taking coming up in Rome in July, 2023.

“The implementation therefore requires the commitment of this committee to sustain the commitment of Nigeria to the transformation of food systems in the spirit of achieving the 2030 Agenda.

“I have no doubt that you will all bring to the table robust ideas and initiatives that will make Nigeria proudly achieve successful implementation of the Food Systems transformation pathways to compliment the way our report that was submitted to the UN Systems is being used as a model for other countries across the globe.

“This steering committee will meet at least once in every quarter either physically or virtually as may be agreed by members and the chairpersons.

He expressed appreciation to all that represented the coordinating states that served as the venues for the exploratory dialogues in 2021 as well as the sensitization workshops where the report of the dialogues were presented and discussed in 2022.

“I take this opportunity to also salute your doggedness, perseverance; commitment and patriotism that made Nigeria submit one of the best reports to the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021.”

In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning, Engr. Nebeolisa Anako, appreciated  the  Minister of State, Prince Agba, for his leadership style and passion in leading the committee.

He also commended all participants, particularly, the Country Reps of  IFAD, FAO and WFP.

The National Convenor, Food System Transformation Pathways, Nigeria/ Director, Social Development, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Sanjo Faniran, in his remarks, advised the Committee to commence the implementation processes immediately.

He stated that the Zonal Consultation Workshop would be held in two locations for Southern and Northern zones, saying that the Southern Zone workshop would be in Benin while Northern Zone will convene in Kano.

Speaking on the next step, Dr  Faniran stated that this included the Implementation of 2023 Action Plan and Communication plan in all the six geopolitical zones; Zonal Consultation meeting on development of Implementation Strategy for food systems;
Retreat for Steering Committee members with the zonal coordinating Director; and collection of report on good practices in all states in all geopolitical zones, among others.