By Blessing Patrick
The House of Representatives has reiterated its commitment to addressing the multidimensional threats, food security, insecurity, climate change, and low sectoral investment in the country.
The Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Rep. Chike Okafor (APC-Imo) made this known at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday while announcing a three-day national summit on nutrition and food security.
The lawmaker said that despite decades of national policies and sectoral programmes aimed at improving nutrition and food systems, Nigeria continues to grapple with alarming rates of malnutrition and food insecurity.
According to him, children under the age of five, pregnant and nursing mothers, and vulnerable populations in rural areas bear the brunt of this crisis.
Okafor said that the situation is exacerbated by factors such as climate change and environmental degradation, persistent insecurity across food-producing regions, high inflation and cost of living as well as inadequate infrastructure for food storage, processing, and distribution.
“The summit is designed as a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement platform; it will bring together relevant actors from the Executive and Legislative branches
across federal, state, and local levels, as well as key development partners and the private sector.
“The core objectives are as follows to harmonise legislative, policy, and programmatic responses to nutrition and food security challenges across all tiers of government.
“To examine innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms for nutrition, including
public-private partnerships and to formulate strategies for building resilient and inclusive food systems, particularly in the face of climate shocks, economic disruptions, and insecurity.
“To strengthen parliamentary oversight and accountability frameworks in the
implementation of nutrition-related programmes and budgets and to align development partner interventions with national legislative priorities,
ensuring coordinated and impactful support,” he said.
The chairman said that the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima will be the special guest of honour and the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas will be chief host.
He said that Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo and
Gov. Mohammed Bago on Niger, all Service Chiefs and heads of relevant federal and state agencies.
He said that expected stakeholders include members of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Development Partners, such as UNICEF, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) private sector among others.
“We are expecting the Inspector- General of Police, the Director-General of Department of Security Service (DSS), the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) the Chief of Army Staff.
“They will be part of our discussion on the second day because we can not talk about food security without also talking about the fact that today, the farmers cannot go to the farm because of the security.
“Whether it’s kinetic or non-kinetic, and all that can be discussed in the public. I can tell you very clearly that we are insisting that they come and tell Nigeria what they are doing to ensure that these farmers go into the farm, do what they have to do without being harassed or without being killed or molested by anybody.
“The expected outcome includes strengthened legislative frameworks for nutrition and food security at federal and state levels.
“Improved budgetary appropriations and tracking of nutrition funding, clear recommendations for policy reform and inter-agency coordination and enhanced synergy between development partners and legislative stakeholders among others,” Okafor said.
