Sahel Conference urges media to drive food security accountability
The media has been urged to play a more active role in holding governments and other stakeholders accountable for policies and interventions in Nigeria’s food system, particularly through evidence-based reporting and sustained public enlightenment. The call was made at the Sahel Changemakers Conference which held in Abuja, on Thursday. The Media Dialogue themed “Building Nigeria’s […]
The Sahel Changemakers Conference convened in Abuja, Nigeria, to emphasize the critical role of media in fostering transparency and accountability within the nation's food system. The event, themed "Building Nigeria's Food System Architecture: The Role of Media in Driving Accountability, Evidence, and Public Action," brought together industry leaders, including Ntiedo Ekott of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Abdulkareem Mojeed of Premium Times, and Israel Boboye of CJID.
These speakers discussed the media's potential to strengthen accountability, promote informed public discourse, and ensure that agriculture-related issues receive the attention they deserve.
The conference also highlighted the necessity for enhanced collaboration among government entities, private sector partners, and other stakeholders to tackle the multifaceted challenges facing Nigeria’s food system. Dr. Markus Wagner, Country Director for German Development Cooperation, underscored the need for coordinated efforts from various sectors to achieve nutritional, economic, environmental, and social outcomes, such as healthy diets, employment opportunities for women and young people, natural resource protection, and support for smallholder farmers in adapting to climate change.
Dr. Karin Jansen, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, pointed out that valuable information often resides within organizations but is not effectively disseminated to those who require it. Additionally, projects may yield results that are challenging to maintain post-completion. Nwuneli Okonkwo, Executive Director of Sahel Consulting, advocated for more integrated sectoral efforts, emphasizing the interconnectedness of challenges related to food, nutrition, healthcare, and agriculture.
Okonkwo argued that current policies must account for households to be successful, urging a shift away from fragmented approaches towards more cohesive responses that reflect the realities of Nigerian households.
Temi Adegoroye, Managing Partner at Sahel Consulting, noted the poor coordination within Nigeria’s food system, noting that nearly one-third of the country’s workforce is involved in agriculture and food-related activities. He explained that climate shocks, insecurity, and rising input costs adversely impact harvests, incomes, and diets, exacerbating nutritional deficiencies and hindering health and learning.
Adegoroye stressed that the true challenge lies not in additional programs or increased investment but in creating the right infrastructure to support sustained progress.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Trust's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
