UN Food Systems Summit: Exploratory Dialogue Kicks-off

Food security experts have harped on the need for effective preservation and processing of available food items to sustain the food systems in Nigeria.

According to the experts, industries that rely on agricultural raw materials should maximise the available produce, especially during their specific seasons.

The agricultural stakeholders made this known at the United Nations Food Systems Exploratory Dialogue for Imo State in Owerri on Tuesday.

The inception ceremony of the United Nations Food Systems Summit Dialogue for Nigeria held in Abuja in February.

The inception ceremony was attended by the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who noted that the issue of developing a sustainable food system has never been more urgent

According to the VP, Nigeria was faced with a population that exceeds growing figures as well as reeling from the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Osinbajo in his virtual remarks also underscored the need for the country to embrace environmentally friendly approaches while seeking to achieve food security.

Meanwhile, in his welcome remarks, the Honourable Commissioner of Agriculture, Imo State, Dr. Lambert Orisakwe said it was common knowledge that the country has had several disruptions in agriculture and the food system industry on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This, according to the commissioner, has significantly affected food security, productivity level of farmers and nutrition intake of the people of the state.

Orisakwe who described the event as a timely one said that the state had started plans to build back better adding that the government was investing profoundly in agriculture and agro-industrialisation to help recover its economy.

“The objective for this is to aid development and provision of amenities for our people, right through to the grassroots, especially in our rural areas.

“We are also looking to improve on the economic wellbeing of our farmers who constitute largely about 60% of our workforce. In doing that, we will also be impacting profoundly on our rural economy,” he stated.

On the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Orisakwe pointed that the state was looking to ramp up to expand the already achieved feats so that by 2030 Imo state would have had considerable impacts.

The event had a breakout session, Action Track Groups (ATG), that addressed each of the UN’s 5 action tracks.