FG, FAO To Implement $99.5m Project Food insecurity

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the federal government have entered an agreement to implement the FAO Nigeria five-year Country Programming Framework (CPF).

The CPF is an agricultural project whose funds are drawn from the federal, state governments, local and international donors.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony in Abuja, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Fred Kafeero, said the CPF is aligned with the national development policies and programmes in the country.

Following the expiration of the 2018 to 2022 CPF, Kafeero said the FAO in Nigeria commenced the process of consultation with relevant stakeholders at federal level and at selected state levels.

This, he said, is aligned with the organisation’s offer and support as the United Nations in Nigeria.

He noted that it is also aligned with FAO’s global strategic framework that emphasises the transformation of agri-food systems in countries.

“We are focusing on four pillars which we call the strategic pillars and they are best on the FAO global strategy to realise what is called the four Betters; Better production, Better nutrition, Better environment, and Better life”, he said.

In his address, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar said the CPF will deliver to enable vulnerable households access to better food, maintain healthy diets, and improve the rural economy.

“It is essential to note that if the agriculture sector must be transformed, we must all prepare to invest massively in the sector and rise to the call against hunger and food wastes in the value chains.

“We should indeed develop a strong action Plan to address the impact of climate change, global pandemic, institutional inadequacies, post-harvest losses and weak supply chain on food systems in partnership with Development partners”, Abubakar stated.

The Assistant FAO Representative to Nigeria, (Programme), Abubakar Suleiman said the said a total of $99,521,000 would be required to implement the project, as there is already the availability of $16, 352, 00, while the remaining $83,159,000 would be addressed through mobilisation and partnership with multilateral and unilateral donors including government at federal and state levels.

“The project aims to strengthen capacities for value chain analysis, and upgrading of priority commodity value chains; capacities for increased productivity in livestock, fisheries, and selected crop and forest value chains”, he added.