By Editor
The Federal Government has said it is committed to sustaining the implementation of food system transformation pathways in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr Nebeolisa Anako, said this when he received some stakeholders who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Friday.
The programme aimed at improving the productivity and sustainability of the food system while promoting health and nutrition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing socio-economic development in Nigeria.
Anako said the the new administration was committed to reforming the country’s economy to attain the development target as encapsulated in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021 to 2025 and agenda 2050.
He said: “The administration has already taken bold steps toward economic rejuvenation including the removal of fuel subsidy and convergence of exchange rate windows.
“With these measures, efforts must be taken to alleviate any immediate burden on the populace and the mechanisms are being put in place by the administration”.
He said that Nigeria being the biggest producer of cassava in the world wanted to develop and expand the value chain on the tuber crop.
Anako said that cassava bio-ethanol pilot project which was awarded in early 2023 by the Federal Executive Council would soon commence operation.
He commended the role of the lead agencies such as United Nation (UN) on the implementation of the UN initiated food system transformation pathways in the country.
Anako commended the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and other stakeholders for their support and continued collaboration.
The Perm Sec said: “We are involving research institutions, Universities, industry players, investors, State governments, farmers in a triple-helix knowledge sharing and development initiative”.
The FAO representative, Mr Fred Kafeero, commended the government for their support saying without the government assistance it would not have been possible.
IFAD Country Director, Mrs Dede Ekoue, commended the implementation of the national food transformation pathways in the country.
She said: “The challenges of the food transformation is much but we promise to continue supporting the initiative and to get a positive results.”
