The Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) recently held a strategic conversation in Abuja with key media houses and agricultural journalists to present the Unit’s role and discuss how to improve agricultural reporting in Nigeria.

The engagement emphasised the media’s vital role in shaping public conversation, improving policy understanding, and driving accountability in the country’s fight for food security.

Marion Moon, Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Coordinator of the PFSCU, underlined the Unit’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s food systems using evidence-based techniques.

Moon stated, “While our perspectives may differ, we are united by one undeniable truth: Nigeria must achieve food security and the media is our indispensable partner in communicating this national imperative.”

Media representatives identified challenges, including a lack of access to accurate agricultural data, poor government support, insecurity, selective advertorial opportunities for the media, the media being viewed as a business rather than a not-for-profit, and a lack of inclusion in accessing critical data.

They unanimously called for a centralised data platform to support quality reporting and more inclusion in Government activities.

BusinessDay reports that the dialogue yielded proposals to elevate agricultural journalism, including regular training programmes for journalists, improved access to government agricultural initiatives, and forming a joint PFSCU-media working group.

PFSCU pledged to institutionalise the collaborations, acknowledging the media as an essential ally in accomplishing the administration’s food security and agricultural reform objectives.

PFSCU seeks to speed the execution of priority programs to improve food security, agricultural industrialisation, and long-term economic prosperity.

Source: Business Day

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