Nigeria to benefit from UN's $282m food initiative

Nigerians are seeking subsidies in the agricultural sector to check the rising inflation in the prices of food items

Nigeria is among 32 countries that have been selected to benefit from a new food initiative recently launched by the United Nations (UN).

The programme, which is the brainchild of two divisions of the UN, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has been designed to revolutionise global agrifood systems, making them more sustainable, inclusive and environmentally friendly.

Titled the Food Systems Integrated Program (FSIP), the programme was launched during the Agrifood System Day at the ongoing 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the FSIP aims to channel $282 million in GEF financing and leverage an additional $1.8 billion in co-financing to achieve global environmental benefits,” the UN said.

“These include addressing biodiversity loss, mitigating land degradation, and combating climate change while improving food security, nutrition, and livelihoods.”

According to the UN, the programme is focused on key agrifood sectors, including crops such as maize, rice, and wheat; commodities like cocoa, palm oil, and soy; as well as livestock and aquaculture.

In Nigeria, the program is expected to address pressing challenges in the agricultural sector by fostering policies, investment plans, and sustainable practices. This includes reducing methane emissions in rice farming and curbing deforestation linked to livestock and palm oil production.

“The FSIP is designed to align with international environmental frameworks, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and Land Degradation Neutrality commitments,” the UN added.

It said the programme builds on nearly a decade of GEF-backed initiatives such as the Good Growth Partnership and the Resilient Food Systems program.

On how the initiative will be beneficial to Nigeria, the UN said it gives hope for the country’s agrifood sector.

READ ALSO: Team SafePad wins United Nations Global Goal World Cup
“With Nigeria’s agrifood systems grappling with challenges such as deforestation, methane emissions, and unsustainable farming practices, the FSIP offers a promising pathway to enhance food security, improve livelihoods, and contribute to environmental sustainability,” it explained.

“By participating in this global effort, Nigeria stands to gain from innovative solutions and investments that can transform its agrifood systems into a model of sustainability and resilience.”

Other participating African countries include Ghana, Ethiopia, Angola, Burkina Faso, Chad, Eswatini, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.