October 15, (THEWILL) – A United Nations agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), says over four million Nigerians go hungry and suffer from malnutrition.
According to the agency, the situation is due to the challenges associated with conflict, pests and diseases, natural disasters, loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, economic challenges and the devastating effects of COVID-19.
The agency’s representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero, made this known on Friday in Abuja during a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to mark the 2021 World Food Day.
The conference was themed “Our actions are our future: Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.
Kafeero said functioning food systems would assure enough and quality food and environmental sustainability, which is vital for the development of the present and future generations.
He said there are also other key elements, such as better data, governance and institutions, that need to be added to the equation.
He called for interventions on research and development to make farming more technologically advanced, innovation in digital agriculture, and re-skilling young people and improving literacy rates among women.
“Every one of us has a role to play in ending hunger by changing the way we produce food, adding value to our food products and making food choices that will improve our health and reduce waste and loss of food.
“Our approach can only be effective if it’s rooted in working together with governments and key partners as they forge their own national pathways towards transformation in line with their specific conditions and needs,” he said.
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