The United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria in strengthening food systems, enhancing climate resilience and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, gave the assurance on Thursday at the two-day National Dialogue on Nigeria’s Convergence Initiative on Food Systems and Climate Action in Abuja.
The dialogue brought together representatives of government, development partners, academia, civil society and the private sector to explore strategies for aligning food systems transformation with climate action in support of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Fall said the UN would continue to support Nigeria 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.”
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He described food systems as encompassing all activities involved in the production, processing, transportation and consumption of food, noting that resilient food systems improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen economies and preserve cultural heritage.
Fall recalled that the UN Secretary-General convened the Food Systems Summit five years ago to galvanise global efforts towards sustainable food production and consumption, adding that the Abuja dialogue represented another milestone in advancing resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems in Nigeria.
He commended the Federal Government for providing leadership in bringing stakeholders together to drive food systems transformation.
“Nigeria continues to demonstrate that when national leadership is matched by strong partnerships, transformation is possible.”
Also speaking, the Deputy Director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, Ms Lara Rothe, said Nigeria had become the 22nd country to join the Convergence Initiative on Food Systems and Climate Action.
She noted that countries around the world were increasingly integrating food systems transformation with climate action and commended Nigeria’s sustained commitment since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.
According to Rothe, Nigeria has convened more than 40 national and sub-national dialogues, which informed the country’s Food Systems Transformation Pathway and identified 78 priority actions.
She reaffirmed the Coordination Hub’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through continued collaboration with the Federal Government, the UN Country Team and other partners.
During a technical panel session, UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition, Ms Nemat Hajeebhoy, called for nutrition to remain central to food systems transformation, stressing that improving food systems must go beyond food availability to ensuring access to 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.”
Panellists from 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) emphasised the need to empower young women through mentorship and skills development to enhance their competitiveness.
They also urged governments and development partners to translate commitments into tangible action through stronger collaboration, enabling policies and sustained investment in resilient and climate-smart food systems.
