The US unveils a global food security strategy plan for Nigeria

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) says the US government has unveiled its new Global Food Security Strategy Country Plan for Nigeria.

Melissa Jones, Mission Director of USAID, who disclosed this at the “1st Post-harvest Connect Conference and Exhibition” in Abuja, said the plan was unveiled in March.

Jones said the plan is in line with President Joe Biden’s commitment to improve food security in Nigeria.

The conference was organized by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety (FMAFS) and the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), among others.

Jones said the new strategy prioritizes the rice, maize and horticulture value chains in six states of Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara.

According to him, the program builds on previous achievements and lessons learned; prioritises inclusive participation, value chain, climate adaptation and private sector involvement.

The Director said USAID looks forward to working with the Nigerian government, especially the NSPRI, to advance the technology and infrastructure needed to reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria.

Jones felt the conference was timely given growing food insecurity, coupled with food price inflation of over 40 percent and an increase in the overall cost of living.

He decried that the rise in the cost of living had brought untold hardship to millions of the population who could not afford basic necessities.

“Currently, post-harvest losses in Nigeria are close to 50 percent for fresh produce.

“It is critical that we all come together to ensure that farmers’ hard work is not lost in post-harvest and reaches the consumers who need it,” said Jones.

Prof. Garba Sharubutu, Executive Secretary of ARCN, identified one of the major problems in the country as concentrating all efforts on food production and neglecting post-harvest activities.

According to him, the conference is the beginning of sensitizing the public, government and farmers on the need to actually look at post-harvest activities.

The theme of the conference was ‘Scaling up appropriate post-harvest solutions for sustainable food and nutrition security.’