Foreign

THE United Nations (UN) Secretary General, António Gutters, has approved a High-level session side event for Nigeria during the Stocktaking Moment between July 24 and July 26 in Rome, Italy.

Mr Nebeolisa Anako, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Abuja, disclosed this at a meeting of the National Steering Committee on Implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Pathway in Nigeria on Friday in Awka.

He said the UN Secretary General conveyed the approval through the Food Systems Co-ordination Hub of the global body.

Anako added that the side event would be chaired by President Bola Tinubu or Vice President Kashim Shettima.

“The High-level event will be a platform to bring World leaders, Captains of Agro-Allied Industries, investors and private food related organisations together for advancing global food security agenda.

“Discussions at the event will be on innovative financing for the food system transformation Pathway and means to attract private sector investment in the food Systems, diaspora and donors’ intervention,” he said.

Anako further informed the Committee that the organisers of the Rome event also approved another side event with the theme “Scaling up Multi-Stakeholders’ Collaboration and Investments in the Implementation of the Food systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria”.

“The side Event will showcase our national strategy that is unifying all states through geopolitical zones on implementation of the pathways,” he said.

Anako called on participants to bring to the table, robust ideas and initiatives that would complement comprehensive report on the implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria.

He said the meeting was the first held physically after the virtual inauguration on April 20, by the former Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba.

Anako called on participants to come up with robust ideas and initiatives that would make Nigeria achieve successful implementation of the Food Systems transformation pathways that would serve as model for other countries.

According to him, Nigeria is rated across the globe as champion in the implementation process by the United Nations Food Systems coordination hub.

He commended efforts of the lead Partners and UN Agencies including: World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Grand Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) for their support.

Mrs Dede Ekwoe, Country Director, IFAD, urged participants to contribute towards achieving food system pathway in the country.

Ekwoe said in line with its mandate, IFAD supported the food system transformation agenda by enhancing smallholder farmers’ productivity, profitability and access to markets, fostering the economic empowerment of rural youths and women.

Dr Foster Ihejiofor, Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, in a welcome remark, said Nigeria needed to improve food production to enhance the living conditions of its populace.

“We must adopt multi-angle food production system that is eco-friendly considering the impact of climate change,” he said.

NAN reports that those at the meeting are permanent secretaries from nine states, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Osun, Borno, Kwara and Akwa Ibom.

They are to coordinate implementation of the 78 priority action plans for food system transformation agenda in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

National convener, Mr Famiran Sanjo, said that after the Awka meeting, participants would proceed to Uzanu Farm, Edo State, for another meeting ahead of the Rome event. (NAN) 

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Tags: António Gutters Dr Foster Ihejiofor Mr Famiran Sanjo Mr Nebeolisa Anako Mrs Dede Ekwoe UN