Posted on March, 22, 2024 at 09:05 am
The United States (US) government has partnered Nigeria, among others, to unveil a five-year Global Food Security Strategic Country Plan to boost the country’s agricultural sector and drive agro-economic growth.
David Greene, the US Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, while unveiling the strategy in Abuja, said it exemplified the US government’s commitment to resolving the pressing issue of food security in Nigeria.
Greene explained the new strategy was built on previous achievements and lessons learned, and prioritised inclusive participation, value addition, climate adaptation, private sector engagement, as well as job creation.
According to the envoy, the US government will, through the strategy, build sustainable food systems, promote innovation, and advance trade to break the vicious cycle of poverty and hunger in Nigeria.
He said the country plan had adopted a market system approach to achieve three overarching goals, which included increasing the productivity and competitiveness of horticulture, maize, and rice value chains.
The other two goals, he said included enhancing the capacities of vulnerable households to respond to shocks, as well as improving access to nutritious and high-quality foods.
“This strategy represents one year of intensive consultation and hours of discussion and I am honoured to be here to celebrate the hard work and partnership that went into its development.
“At the US – Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022, President Joe Biden reaffirmed the US government’s commitment to realising African food security, a key priority of the Biden-Harris administration.
“The Global Food Security Strategy, which we are here to launch today, supports President Biden’s commitment to improve food security in Nigeria,” he said.
Greene said in 2022, the global pandemic, climate crisis, high energy and fertiliser prices, and protracted conflicts, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, exacerbated food insecurity.
He said in response, the US and African leaders, whose countries disproportionately bore the brunt of the impact, strengthened ties to refocus and expand public and private sector investments to address the root causes of the food crisis.
“Nigeria is currently experiencing a severe food crisis due to insecurity, inflation, currency devaluation, the increased cost of inputs, trade restrictions, climate change, and post-harvest loss.
“In January 2024, Nigeria recorded an over 35 per cent increase in food prices, making it difficult for the 84 million Nigerians living below the poverty line to buy food.
“If we project out into the future, global food demand will double by 2050, and yet at the same time, key staple crops are showing a decrease of up to 30 per cent,” the envoy said.
Greene noted that, while climate change was causing extreme weather conditions like drought and floods, it was even more challenging for smallholder farmers to increase yields and incomes.
He said Nigeria was ranked the sixth least prepared globally to confront climate change, stressing that it must focus on adaptation if food security was to be achieved.
Source: The Sun