FG admits there's food insecurity in the country, sets up committee to tackle hunger

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) in a bid to tackle the prevailing hardship and food insecurity in Nigeria.

Vice President Kashim Shettima led the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, emphasizing that the creation of the unit is part of the administration’s comprehensive plan to combat hunger.

The initiative includes collaboration with state governments, development partners, and other critical stakeholders to address soaring commodity prices and general food insecurity across the country.

Addressing the newly formed unit, which comprises governors, cabinet ministers, and representatives of development partners, Vice President Shettima clarified that the PFSCU is not intended to usurp the functions of the Ministry of Agriculture. Instead, it aims to leverage the ideas and resources of all stakeholders to address the urgent issue of food security.

Shettima highlighted the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private-sector-driven agricultural industrialization initiative, as a key project for the PFSCU to focus on. He stressed that with improved farming practices, better seeds, and the effective use of fertilizers, Nigeria’s agricultural productivity could see significant improvement.

He said; 

“The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better. Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment and this is why all hands have to be on deck. We are in a food security crisis but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing”.

The PFSCU’s mandate is to ensure coordinated efforts in implementing strategies that will enhance food security and reduce the burden of high food prices on Nigerians.