Nigeria and other African nations have joined the United Nations (UN), calling for united efforts to address food insecurity across the continent and globally.
At the United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) held in Addis Ababa, leaders urged the international community to provide predictable concession finance to boost investments in agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, and education.
They also called for better alignment between climate finance and food system development, stressing that long-term solutions must address both environmental and economic realities.
Speaking at the summit, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted the use of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and geospatial analytics, to enhance agricultural productivity and tackle food insecurity.
He urged African nations to work together towards a future of abundance and equity, stating that a broken food system diminishes human dignity worldwide.
Shettima outlined Nigeria’s commitment to agricultural reforms, including the National Food Systems Transformation Pathway and the Presidential Initiative on Food Security, which seek to increase the cultivation of staple crops like maize and rice.
He also noted investments in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones to create jobs and connect rural producers to markets.
“They are creating jobs, attracting private capital, and linking rural producers to national and global markets. Our faith in the capacity of our people remains unshaken. But production is not enough. We believe that a sustainable food system must also be a healthy one,” he said about the Agro Zones.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed echoed the call for predictable finance for agriculture and infrastructure, linking hunger to environmental degradation.
He expressed Ethiopia’s commitment to bold action in food system transformation.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking via video, stressed that food systems encompass issues of climate, justice, and human rights.
He acknowledged progress since the last summit but highlighted the rising global hunger crisis and its links to climate change.
Leaders from Italy, Kenya, and other nations also participated, reinforcing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to create resilient and inclusive food systems.
