The United Nations (UN) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen food systems, enhance climate resilience and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The assurance was given by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, during the ongoing two-day National Dialogue on Nigeria’s Convergence Initiative on Food Systems and Climate Action, held in Abuja on Thursday.
The dialogue brought together representatives from government institutions, development partners, academic institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector to explore strategies for integrating food systems transformation with climate action.
Discussions focused on aligning Nigeria’s food systems reforms with climate initiatives to support the attainment of both the SDGs and the commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Speaking at the event, Fall said the United Nations would continue to support Nigeria’s nationally led development agenda through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
“The United Nations remains a committed partner to Nigeria. Through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, we will continue supporting nationally led efforts that strengthen food systems, promote climate resilience, empower women and young people, mobilise sustainable financing and accelerate progress towards the SDGs,” he said.
Fall explained that food systems encompass the entire chain of activities involved in food production, processing, transportation and consumption, noting that well-functioning food systems contribute to improved public health, environmental sustainability, economic development and the preservation of cultural heritage.
He recalled that the UN Secretary-General convened the Food Systems Summit five years ago to galvanise global action towards building more sustainable and resilient food systems.
According to him, the current dialogue represents another important milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to establish inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
He also commended the Federal Government for demonstrating leadership and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to advance food systems transformation.
“Nigeria continues to demonstrate that when national leadership is matched by strong partnerships, transformation is possible,” Fall stated.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, Lara Rothe, announced that Nigeria has become the 22nd country to join the Convergence Initiative on Food Systems and Climate Action.
She observed that countries worldwide are increasingly recognising the importance of integrating food systems reforms with climate action to address food insecurity and environmental challenges simultaneously.
Rothe noted that Nigeria has shown strong commitment to the initiative since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, revealing that the country has conducted more than 40 national and sub-national dialogues, which contributed to the development of Nigeria’s Food Systems Transformation Pathway and the identification of 78 priority actions.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub to continue supporting Nigeria through collaboration with government institutions, the UN Country Team and other stakeholders.
During a technical panel session, UNICEF Chief of Nutrition, Nemat Hajeebhoy, stressed the need to place nutrition at the centre of food systems transformation.
She explained that improving food systems should go beyond increasing food production to ensuring that people, especially children, have access to safe and nutritious diets.
“There is a need to improve food systems not just because people need to eat, but because the food they consume must provide adequate nutrition, especially for children to grow healthy,” she said.
The panel also featured contributions from representatives of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UNICEF, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), who highlighted the importance of coordinated action in building sustainable, climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive food systems across Nigeria.
