The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has pledged commitment to partner with stakeholders to increase food security and reduce the threat of scarcity.
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Mr. Ernest Umakhihe, said this at the Result Presentation Workshop of March 2021 Cadre Harmonise (CH) Food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis for Nigeria, on Friday in Abuja.
Umakhihe said the analysis came in the face of the pronounced threat of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) occasioned by economic stress faced by several households due to lockdown and realised restrictions to curb Covid-19 spread.
He said the government realised the importance of CH results as it relates to effective intervention programming and resources allocation to prevent further deterioration of the FNS in identified areas.
“The management of the ministry has approved the expansion of CH activities to other states of Nigeria to achieve wide coverage. This approval will facilitate the generation of a global view of the food and nutrition insecurity situation in Nigeria,” he said.
He, however, appealed to the participants to contribute positively to the discussion as it would enhance acceptability of CH results to a wider spectrum of stakeholders in the food and nutrition security sector.
Also, the country director, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Mr. Fred Kafeero, said the outcome from the CH analysis provided early warning signals to national and state governments as well as development partners.
Kafeero said the humanitarian community on looming food insecurity and nutrition gaps faced in the states are used to galvanise support toward targeted actions.
“The CH analysis, led by the government of Nigeria, is facilitated through the National Programme for Food Security with financial and technical support from FAO,” he said.
The representative of the 16 states and the FCT, Mrs. Aishatu Umar, in her remarks, commended the various partners and the federal government for their support to end food insecurity.
(NAN)
