The Federal Government has hinted of its current efforts to food production and improved nutrition in the country through a strategic collaboration with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), an international organization created to address food security and combat the effects of drought and desertification in the Sahel region of Africa
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, made this disclosure a CILSS delegation led by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Abdoulaye Mahamadou, paid a courtesy visit to him in Abuja.
According to him, his ministry is working to implement the “Renewed Hope Agenda” on food and nutrition safety by focusing on transforming the agricultural sector, modernising farming practices, and ensuring national food security.
Specifically, he highlighted some of the key initiatives being undertaken by the ministry to promote sustainable agricultural practices, encourage the cultivation of bio-fortified crops such as zinc-enriched rice, and harness technological innovations, including mechanisation to improve food productivity.
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The minister further stressed that increasing food production, availability, affordability, accessibility and building resilient food systems that support livelihoods and household sustenance remained a core priority of the Federal Government as being championed by his ministry and other relevant agencies.
He explained: “We are keen to work together to strengthen the technical capacity of the federal, state, and local government factors and identify a sustainable investment framework that would support resilience.”
Speaking during the visit, the CILSS Executive Secretary reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to addressing food and nutrition challenges across the Sahel and West Africa, adding that the primary focus of the CILSS is to improve the resilience of food systems, monitoring nutrition trends, and canvassing sustainable and affordable diets in the region
Mahamadou noted that CILSS had been closely working over the years with both regional and international partners to improve agricultural policies and strategies to ensure that safe and nutritious food is accessible to people across the region.
He clarified: “CILSS is a key player in the fight against food and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and West Africa, working to build resilience, improve food systems, and ensure that the region’s population has access to safe and nutritious food.”
