Food Africa project begins moves to revamp Nigeria’s food sector

A Sustainable Development Goal SDG’s Fund joint programme tagged Food Africa has begun the process of revamping the nation’s food sector with training of farmers in Kaduna State as a pilot stage.

Food Africa is being jointly implemented by the Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Trade Centre (ICT), Sahara Foundation and the Kaduna State Government.

Partners of the programme said it is aimed at revamping the food sector for creating new jobs for young people, increase farmers’ revenues, improve productivity, enhance nutrition and reduce food loss through more sustainable production practices.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on the programme, Mr. Edward Kallon, the UN Resident/ Humanitarian Coordinator, said the pilot training in Kaduna State would cater for more than 50 farmers including young women and men and agriculture extension workers in the state using a training-oftrainers modality with a view to replicating the training to reach more beneficiaries.

He commended the partners for championing the course of repositioning the food sector in Nigeria.

FAO’s Country Representative, Suffyan Koroma, said the organisation would continue to champion the development of food value chain and enhance its sustainability.

Tonye Cole of the Sahara Foundation assured that once the programme succeeds in Nigeria, it would be replicated in other African countries.

The Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Kazim Abdulkadir, said the state, being and agrarian state, is ready to partner with any group willing to assist in developing its food sector, saying there is no better security than the food security.

Mr. Josep Roca of the Roca Brothers in Spain expressed his restaurant’s desire to ensure the success of the programme.

The three –year programme is expected to gulp $9million.