Nigeria Out To Attain Food Sovereignty – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on global stakeholders to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in rebuilding sustainable and inclusive food systems across Africa.

He said true national sovereignty is incomplete without food sovereignty.

Shettima revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has designed a comprehensive strategy to address food security challenges, which mostly impact vulnerable citizens in conflict-affected regions.

He spoke on Tuesday during a panel on “Country Perspectives: Government-led Strategies and Regional Frameworks” during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Shettima, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said President Tinubu’s bold national strategy, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security and the rollout of systemic reforms, was aimed at transforming agriculture into a resilient, youth-driven, market-based engine of economic growth.

“Our target is to attain food sovereignty. So long as a nation is not independent in the area of food sovereignty, it remains a non-sovereign nation,” the VP said, recalling that when President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the administration met a fragile food system worsened by insecurity, climate shocks, and inflationary pressures.

“His Excellency President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on Food Security, not out of fear, but out of genuine concern for the welfare of our people, especially in conflict-driven environments like the North East, where Boko Haram was sowing seeds of discord and destruction,” he stated.

VP Shettima explained that with 25 million vulnerable people across fragile regions, the government adopted coordinated policy measures, including the creation of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), not to displace existing institutions, but to harmonise all food security interventions.

“We have also initiated food support mechanisms in the North East and North West. But we believe charity is not the answer. In Africa, we say that when you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to fish, you empower him for life. In our displaced people’s camps, we’re encouraging food production for dignity and resilience,” he added.

The vice president stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation strategy must be market-driven and powered by entrepreneurship and innovation.

“Our belief is that agriculture should be market-driven. The whole mantra is about increasing yields. Entrepreneurial capitalism is embedded in the psyche of the average Nigerian,” he noted.

He said the government is investing in improved seeds, extension services, climate-resilient farming, and mechanisation to achieve this.

“We are reinforcing our extension services so that our farmers can get up-to-date information on rainfall patterns and how to manage the climate shocks ravaging our part of the world,” he said.