UN: Conflicts, Economic Slowdown Hampering Nigeria’s Target of Ending Hunger, Malnutrition

*Says malnutrition level on the rise despite interventions

James Emejo and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The United Nations (UN) yesterday in Abuja stated that access to healthy diets for the Nigerian population was being hampered greatly by conflicts, insecurity, climate and weather related impacts, and economic challenges.

Consequently, food insecurity and malnutrition levels have been on the rise, despite significant interventions by governments at all levels, development and humanitarian partners, it revealed.

The UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Matthias Schmale, said this at the national sensitisation workshop on Food Systems transformation in Nigeria.
He noted that driving the implementation of the national food systems pathways and galvanising the global community was facing enormous challenges in agriculture and food systems, with multiple overlapping shocks that have affected lives and livelihoods.

Schmale, during his remarks, congratulated the newly appointed national convener, Dr. Faniran Sanjo, and his team for the excellent work and dedication in driving the implementation of the national food systems pathways in Nigeria.

According to him, “Even when transforming food systems to more equitable, inclusive and sustainable systems is a complex challenge, it is only by acting together that we will prevail and make progress to Sustainable Development Goals in line with Agenda 2030.

“After the national dialogue process, the UN family in Nigeria, particularly the Rome-based agencies – FAO, IFAD, WFP and UNICEF – have unwaveringly continued to support the process of implementation in many ways, including with the technical, financial and logistical elements under the overall coordination of the RCO.
“Our shared goal of building a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable food system could not be more important.

“We need to transform ways in which we produce, manage harvests, process and consume food as these touch every aspect of life on this planet,” he said.
The UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, represented by Mr. Fred Kafeero, maintained that: “Food is the bedrock of our cultures, our economies and our relationship with the natural world. It evidently brings us together as families, communities and nations.
“As UN, we commit to continue working together with the government and strengthen our collaboration with all stakeholders in supporting this transformational journey to achieve a sustainable food system that works for all.”

Continuing, he said, “that is why in the UNSDCF 2023-2027, we have identified sustainable food systems as one of the 13 transformative initiatives.
“With that offer, we will support the government to remain on track with the pathways for implementation, especially in the states and secondly, to understand operational bottlenecks influencing the implementation and how these can be resolved through multi-stakeholders’ approach.

“I therefore call upon all stakeholders (development partners, private sector, research institutions, academia, farming families, fisherfolk and all of us the consumers) to join efforts and support the government and the people of Nigeria in leading this transformational journey so as to achieve sustainable foods system that works for all by 2030,” Schmale said.

In his introductory remarks and overview of the workshop, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, said plans were underway to institutionalise a coordination mechanism in all the six geopolitical zones to ensure harmony in the implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Pathways.

Agba added that the current food and nutrition situation required government at all levels as well as development partners and private sectors to key into the implementation of the identified priority actions of the Food Systems Transformation Pathways
“I will like to emphasis that we all have a critical role to play towards the success of the implementation of the system,” he concluded.