Vice President Kashim Shettima at the the UN Food Systems Summit in Rome, Italy
Vice President Kashim Shettima, has said that the Federal Government has mobilised over $500million for innovative, profitable, equitable and sustainable food systems transformation initiative.
Shettima made the disclosure while chairing a high-level meeting on the first day of the UN Food Systems Summit declared open in Rome, Italy by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guteress.
According to a statement by Director Information, Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola, he said the funds were mobilised “through domestic resources, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, climate funds leading agro-businesses.”
According to him, they would be used for “Innovation finance for food system transformation; development of Nigeria’s agro value chain and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programmes.”
Shettima added, “In this event, the Nigeria Government will be showcasing its Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, as a unique example of a successful partnership between producers, the public sector and private operators.
“The VCDP which is co-funded by the of Nigeria and IFAD has empowered vulnerable farmers and youth to engage into commercial partnerships with some of the biggest food processing and marketing firms in the world such as OLAM, a world leading agri-business company operating in over 60 countries with an annual revenue of about $39.8 billion,” he added.
READ ALSO: NBA President, Maikyau visits IGP Egbetokun
On government’s vision about ending hunger, he said: “Building on the success of the VCDP, the Federal Government is determined to capacitate Nigeria’s rural smallholders and operators, youth and women living below the poverty line to take advantage of the new Special Processing Zones.”
On the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, SAPZ, he said it “brings together local governments, IFAD, AfDB, IsDB, GCF, OLAM and other private actors alongside the government of Nigeria for transformative financing of food systems that leaves no-one behind.”
Featuring in the panel discussion with the Prime Minister of Somalia, Hassan Mohamud; Deputy President of Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua; and Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Ouhoudou Mahamadou, he said President Tinubu “Is determined to transform the concept and meaning of modern governance” by demonstrating commitment towards the food system in the country.
According to him, “President Tinubu hit the ground running from day one of his administration, which is barely two months in office, and has therefore declared state of emergency in food security and took it as a livelihood item within the National Security Council.”
On removing impediments to economic recovery, he said “We had two albatrosses around our necks: subsidy on petrol and multiple exchange rates system.”
He said: “We withdrew the subsidy on petrol from day one, just like President Ruto did in Kenya. To mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal, the government embarked on the immediate release of grains and fertilizers.
According to him, “A commodity marketing board has been put in place to continuously review and monitor the prices of food items.
He added, “Along this way, the President has already approved the infusion of huge quantum of funds towards repositioning of our security architecture because we have similar problems with Somalia and Kenya, especially in the northeast and northwest regions of the country.
READ ALSO: NDDC denies allegation of collecting kickbacks
“We are repositioning our security architecture to provide support for farms and farmers,” he added.
In attendance were President of IFAD, Dr. Alvaro Lario, Muhammad Al Jasser, President of Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, Vice President of AfDB, Mrs. Hassatau N’Sele, Vice President of OLAM International Mr. Reji George and Vice President, Commodity Aaliance Forum (Representative of farmers) Mrs Ejim Lovelyn.
Declaring the Summit open, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guteress commended the participating countries for their commitment to addressing the problems of hunger and malnutrition.
“This is the gathering about food system. It is essentially to fulfill those basic of human rights – the right to food. It is outrageous that people continue to suffer in the world of plenty,” he said.
The Vice President also had bilateral meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. Both leaders discussed issues about the development of the two countries.
The Vice President was accompanied to the meeting by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Italy, Mfawa Abam and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, and other senior government officials.
