Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, says transforming Africa’s food system is a task requiring active mobilization and prioritization of both public and private investments, which 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.
Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday in his remarks delivered 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.
Osibajo 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.
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.
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, the 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.
While acknowledging the work done by Nigeria, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, earlier in her remarks, commended the effort of 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.