Agriculture stakeholders from Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba on Thursday dialogued at the United Nations Food Systems Summit on how to boost food security in the sub-region. Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said that the one-day dialogue was part of the strategies deployed by the United Nations toward achieving food security. He added that it […]
Agriculture stakeholders from Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba on Thursday dialogued at the United Nations Food Systems Summit on how to boost food security in the sub-region.
Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said that the one-day dialogue was part of the strategies deployed by the United Nations toward achieving food security.
He added that it was to suggest ways on how to end hunger, improve nutrition and how to promote sustainable agriculture among the people.
The governor was represented by his deputy , Mr Mannassah Jatau.
He said that the dialogue had presented an opportunity for the sub-region to take stock and intensify action toward achieving the Nigeria’s National Food and Nutrition Policy.
“ The dialogue is an enabler for a more inclusive and healthier food systems, encourage a collaborative approach toward building a sustainable food systems.
“It is also to accelerate our march toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).’’
Yahaya commended the Federal Government through the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, for ensuring wide stakeholder consultative process.
He urged the participants to meet the objectives of the dialogue.
He said that the dialogue would be used to articulate the views and ideas of critical stakeholders.
Such would lead to the “crystallisation of Nigeria’s input into the UN Secretary General’s Food Systems Summit slated for September 2021,’’ he said.
Mr Solomon Elisha, the Taraba Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, said that the meeting would help states explore ideas to improve their agriculture sector and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the people.
“We are looking out for peer review mechanisms where we would be able to compare our challenges and achievements with thise of other states.
” So, I am sure this meeting will help boost food security,’’ he said.
Also, Dr Farouk Kurawa, the Deputy Chief of Party, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future, Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity at Mercy Corps, said that the humanitarian crisis had contributed to high burden of poverty.
Kurawa stated that despite several gains in recent times, hunger and poverty had continued.
He attributed it to the ever growing population without corresponding increase in the food production and insecurity in the Northeast sub-region.
He added that the dialogue would help address the immediate problems of hunger and poverty in the sub-region.
He added that it would also set the template for the actualisation of Sustainable Development Goals by the Year 2030.
Supreme reports that at the end of the dialogue being hosted by Gombe state, participants from each state are expected to present their work plans in line with the objectives of the dialogue.
