FG appoints Osun to coordinate South West food sufficiency programme
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The Federal Government has designated Osun State as the coordinating hub for the implementation of the Food System Transformation Pathways in the South West geopolitical zone. This initiative aims to boost nutritious and sufficient food production across Nigeria.
The announcement was made in a statement by Osun’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, which was obtained by Western Post on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the Food System Transformation Pathways, initiated by the United Nations, is designed to enhance food systems, benefiting smallholder farmers and small- to medium-scale food enterprises. It also aims to empower women, create employment opportunities for youth, and increase the flow of money in the economy.
The programme’s goals for 2030 include poverty reduction, decreasing youth unemployment, alleviating hunger and malnutrition, reducing food imports, and promoting sustainable food trade. Also, it seeks to boost women’s empowerment in agriculture and improve the environmental performance index.
The statement further revealed that in a letter addressed to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, H.E. Atiku Bagudu, stated that Osun would oversee the programme’s implementation for Oyo and Ekiti states.
Bagudu highlighted that the decision aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to achieve food security and meet the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The letter emphasized, “The coordination of the three states in the South West Zone is part of efforts to complement steps towards achieving nutritious and food security, as well as the SDGs in Nigeria. This step further deepens the achievements presented at the Stock Taking Moment (STM) in Rome, led by H.E. Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, from July 24-26, 2023.”
Furthermore, the coordination will build on recommendations made during the March 2024 retreat of State Commissioners for Economic Planning, Agriculture, and Health. These recommendations call for quarterly reviews of implementation on a geopolitical zonal basis, ensuring a unified and effective strategy for food and nutrition across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.
