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Tag: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

  • FAO commends Nigeria’s efforts at mainstreaming agrifood

    FAO commends Nigeria’s efforts at mainstreaming agrifood

    Mr Koffy Kouacou, Head of Emergency and Resilience Team Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Sub-regional Office, West Africa and the Sahel, has lauded Nigeria’ efforts at mainstreaming agrifood into its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

    Kouacou gave the commendation at a Workshop for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support Project held on Friday in Abuja.

    Represented by Ogunkua, Nifesimi, Kouacou said that FAO was  excited about Nigeria’s readiness to incorporate agrifood into its NBSAPs.

    “This forward-thinking approach aligns with FAO’s mission to promote biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resources management and ensure sustainable agricultural practices globally.

    “Nigeria’s dedication to integrating agrifood into its national strategies is a commendable step toward building resilient and thriving biodiversity conservation.

    “We, at FAO, stand shoulder to shoulder with Nigeria in this endeavour.

    “Our commitment extends beyond mere words as we pledge our full support to the development, implementation, and evaluation of the NBSAPs.’’

    The FAO team leader said that FAO recognised the importance of a holistic approach and was ready to collaborate closely with Nigeria to achieve these goals.

    “To facilitate this collaborative effort, FAO has developed an impressive array of tools, frameworks, and approaches specifically designed to support the realisation of the global biodiversity targets.

    “These resources serve as invaluable assets, empowering nations to navigate the complexities of sustainable development.

    “We believe that by leveraging these tools, Nigeria can make significant strides in achieving its agrifood integration goals.

    “In Nigeria, FAO operates within the framework of the Country Programming Framework (CPF), a comprehensive guide that directs our support to the country.’’

    He said that Nigeria’s commitment to integrating agrifood into its NBSAPs was a testament to its vision for a sustainable and prosperous future.

    “FAO is honoured to be a part of this journey; and that they look forward to witnessing the positive impact of the collective efforts on biodiversity conservation in Nigeria,’’ he said.

    On his part, Dr Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, quoted the Inter-governmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) as saying that the world was facing an extinction crisis, with one million species threatened with extinction, many within decades.

    “I am sure you will all agree with me that such a situation is unacceptable and that urgent action must be taken.

    “Biodiversity underpins life on earth, from human health and well-being to food and water security to economies and livelihoods.

    “Yet biodiversity is severely threatened and declining at unprecedented levels due to increasing pollution, resource exploitation, land use change, invasive species, and climate change, among other factors,” he noted.

    Mr Antony Kamau, Programme Management Officer, Biodiversity and Land Branch Ecosystems Division, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), also spoke at the event.

    He said that the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF-EAS) project was designed to mobilise funding and support so that countries can meet the new biodiversity targets.

    “National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)

    “Through this initiative, UNDP is working with countries to conduct a rapid review of the alignment of existing NBSAPs with the new framework to identify key areas that will need to be updated and refined in light of the new global framework and targets,’’ he said

  • World Food Day: FAO urges measures for food security amid rising inflation

    World Food Day: FAO urges measures for food security amid rising inflation

    As Nigeria grapples with soaring inflation rates, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, Qu Dongyu, has urged governments to prioritize water in policy and planning, as there can be no food security without water.

    Dongyu gave the advice on Monday at the World Food Day 2023 ceremony, held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, with the theme ‘Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind’.

    “Innovative solutions need to be co-developed with partners, including the private sector. We also need to significantly increase investments in integrated water resources management and infrastructure.

    “Countries need to produce more food with less water while restoring land and water systems, and at the same time ensure equitable access to water, and increased resilience to extreme weather events,” he said.

    The Director-General outlined key actions required to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water and food security.

    These include strengthening partnerships, co-developing innovative solutions, increasing investments in integrated water resources management and infrastructure, producing more food with less water, and engaging the private sector as water stewards.

    Meanwhile, recent figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate on a year-on-year basis surged to 26.72 per cent in September, from the previous month’s rate of 25.80 per cent.

    The rise in headline inflation is attributed to various factors, including increases in the prices of Food and non-alcoholic Beverages (13.84 per cent), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuel (4.47 per cent), Clothing and Footwear (2.04 per cent), Transport (1.74 per cent), and others.

    The Food sub-index also witnessed a year-on-year increase of 30.64 per cent in September, fueled by escalating prices of essential items like Oil and fat, Bread and cereals, Potatoes, Yam and other Tubers, Fish, Fruit, Meat, Vegetables, and more.

    The rising inflation rates in Nigeria, particularly in essential food items, calls for urgent and concerted efforts to mitigate its impact on the availability and affordability of food for the population.