Shettima demands accountability for food security interventions

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for greater accountability in the Federal Government's food security initiatives, insisting that public funds must yield visible results for farmers, markets and Nigerian households. This demand emerged after the seventh meeting of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit's Steering Committee, chaired by Shettima at the State House in Abuja.

The meeting convened governors, federal ministers, private sector representatives and development partners to assess Nigeria's food systems outlook and align actions on domestic production and food availability.

Shettima emphasized the need for stronger visibility and accountability across ongoing interventions, stressing that resources should translate into tangible outcomes. He also advocated for increased domestic food production and policies that make food more affordable for Nigerians. The Vice President highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts among the Federal and state governments, the private sector and relevant institutions to turn President Bola Tinubu's food security agenda into measurable results.

As the main harvest season approaches, the committee examined measures to support farmers, enhance domestic production, facilitate the movement of food from producing regions to consumers and bolster strategic reserves. They also addressed transportation, logistics, levies, market access and other distribution factors that impact the final cost of food. The committee noted that enhancing food movement efficiency between production and consumption zones is crucial to alleviate pressures within the food supply chain.

Marion Moon, PFSCU Executive Secretary, revealed that the government will increasingly depend on evidence to determine intervention needs. "Our objective is to ensure the government possesses the evidence to act promptly and accurately – supporting farmers, improving food movement, strengthening preparedness and directing interventions where they can achieve the most impact," Moon stated.

Moody's positive outlook on the reforms validates President Tinubu's policies, indicating that future government campaigns will not disrupt state Assembly duties. Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, emphasized that farmers should remain the focal point of agricultural policies, urging stronger Federal-State coordination to ensure national interventions address state-level farmer challenges.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy stressed the necessity of aligning domestic production with trade policy, noting that trade measures can complement domestic production while addressing verified supply gaps, provided they are considered alongside strategic reserves, market conditions and incentives for Nigerian farmers and agribusinesses.

The PFSCU reviewed several key initiatives, including the $500 million Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth program (AGROW), which has transitioned from design and coordination to implementation by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and participating states. Other initiatives under review encompass the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism, the National Agro-Productivity System and the National Food and Nutrition Crisis Preparedness Framework, overseen by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

These measures aim to bolster the government's capacity to understand farmers' production plans, monitor in-season output and anticipate emerging risks.