Nigeria Establishes Unit to Address Food Security CrisisNigeria Establishes Unit to Address Food Security Crisis To combat the burgeoning food security crisis and escalating food prices in Nigeria, the Nigerian President has initiated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU). Chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the unit brings together governors, local government representatives, development partners, and key stakeholders from various sectors. Its primary responsibility is to coordinate agricultural activities throughout Nigeria. In his inaugural address at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima emphasized the gravity of the food security crisis and the critical need for collective action. He highlighted the threat it poses to the stability of the nation and the urgent necessity to address it. Several state governors have commended the initiative, acknowledging its relevance to the current situation in the country. The creation of the PFSCU follows rising food costs in Nigeria, with inflation reaching 33.69 percent. The crisis stems from multiple factors, including insecurity in key farming regions. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, President Bola Tinubu declared a food security emergency a year ago, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources. He underscored the importance of ensuring year-round irrigation of farmlands and continuous food production. Tinubu also pledged to strengthen security measures to protect farms and farmers.
The Nigerian President has established the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to address the food security crisis and rising food costs in the country.
The unit is chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and is composed of governors, local government representatives, development partners and other key stakeholders. The unit is charged with the coordination of all agricultural activities in Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, Shettima stressed the urgency of the food security crisis and the need for collective solutions.
“The nation is facing a rare food security crisis, and the sooner we face the reality the better,” Shettima said, as quoted by his spokesman Stanley Nkwocha. “Food insecurity threatens the very foundation of our democratic experiment, and that is why all hands must be on deck. We are in a food security crisis, but it also offers us the opportunity to re-engineer the nation and position it on a firmer footing.”
Several state governors praised the initiative during the meeting, calling it a befitting response to the current situation in the country.
A state of emergency
The move comes amid rising food costs in Nigeria, with inflation now at 33.69 percent. Stakeholders attribute the crisis to several issues, including insecurity in some of the country’s key farming regions.
In response, President Bola Tinubu declared a food security emergency about a year ago, stressing the need for collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure year-round irrigation of farmlands and continued food production.
“There is an urgent need for synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and ensure year-round food production,” Tinubu said. He also promised to “mobilise our security architecture to protect farms and farmers so that farmers can return to their farmlands without fear of attacks.”
