Osun Coordinates FG’s Food Sufficiency Programme

The Federal Government has appointed Osun State as the coordinating point for implementing the Food System Transformation Pathways in the South West geopolitical zone.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, who revealed this in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo, stated that the United Nations initiated FSTPP to facilitate well-functioning food systems that will provide higher incomes for smallholder farmers and small/medium scale food enterprises among others.

According to him, the goals of FSTPP by 2030 include reducing poverty, unemployment, especially among youths, hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, reducing food imports and promoting sustainable food trade, increasing women’s empowerment in agriculture index score, and increasing environmental performance index score.

Alimi stated that in the letter addressed to Governor Ademola Adeleke and copied to his counterparts in Oyo and Ekiti states, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, said the implementation of the Food System Transformation Pathways in Oyo and Ekiti states, will be coordinated from Osun state.

“The Minister noted that the decision is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s effort to achieve nutritious food security and meet the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) objectives.

“Your Excellency may wish to be informed that the coordination of the three states in the South West Zone is part of efforts to complement the steps towards achieving nutritious food security and SDGs in Nigeria. This is also part of the step being taken to deepen the achievement of Nigeria as presented at the Stock Taking Moment (STM) in Rome that was led by H.E Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, from 24-26 July 2023,” the letter conveying the appointment of Osun state reads in part.

“The coordination arrangement is to consolidate on the agreed recommendations at the Retreat of the State Commissioners of Economic Planning, Agriculture and Health held in Abuja from 7- 8 March 2024 that reiterated the need for quarterly review of implementation on geopolitical zonal basis.’’