Shettima demands stronger accountability for $500 million Nigeria agriculture programme, other interventions

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for “stronger accountability” over various food-systems initiatives and interventions, including the $500 million Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth programme (AGROW).

Shettima, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), gave the charge on Friday, according to a statement issued by the PFSCU.

The 7th meeting of the Committee was held at the State House, Abuja, and brought together governors, federal ministers, private-sector representatives and development partners to review Nigeria’s food-systems outlook and strengthen coordination around priority areas requiring action.

What they are saying

According to the PFSCU, the meeting further considered the stability and resilience of Nigeria’s food system, with emphasis on using better intelligence to identify where production, market, nutrition or security pressures are emerging.

Relevant institutions were tasked with increasing targeted interventions in states, markets and communities where the evidence indicates the greatest need.

• The Committee also reviewed progress across major food-systems initiatives, including “the US$500 million Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth programme (AGROW), whose PFSCU design and coordination phase has been completed and transitioned to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and participating states; the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism; development of the National Agro-Productivity System; and the National Food and Nutrition Crisis Preparedness Framework anchored in the Office of the National Security Adviser.”

Vice President Shettima “called for stronger visibility and accountability across” the aforementioned ongoing interventions, emphasising that…