Primetweets
The Federal Government has expressed concern over the high cost of food items in the country. They have identified food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate change as the main factors contributing to lower incomes and higher prices of food. According to Olude Omolade, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance, Nebolisa Anako, the Permanent Secretary of Budget and Planning, spoke on this issue at a workshop on the development of an implementation strategy for the Nigeria Food Systems Transformation Pathways held in Abuja. Anako, who was represented by the Director of National Monitoring and Evaluation, Zakari Lawani, said that these challenges have made food inaccessible to many Nigerians.
The National Bureau of Statistics’ latest report supports Anako’s statement, showing that an increase in the price of bread, cereal, rent, potatoes, yam, tubers, vegetables, and meat drove inflation up in February. Anako also noted that Nigeria is responding to the United Nations’ call to look inward and organize dialogues to identify issues and challenges around food systems and come up with sustainable strategies to end hunger and malnutrition. He urged all relevant stakeholders including government at all levels and developmental organizations to support the implementation of priority actions with the 2022 call to action and to mobilize more resources and monitor progress.
A steering committee has been established to provide technical support for the development of the 2023 coated action plan at the global stock-taking scheduled to take place in Rome in July 2023. The Federal Government is committed to finding solutions to food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate change in order to make food accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
