Broad Adoption of Innovation, Digitalization In Agriculture Can Drive Sustainable Development of Food Systems- Minister
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has said that innovation and digitalization in agriculture remain underutilized, but their broad adoption can significantly drive the sustainable development of food systems. He stated this at the Inception Workshop for Project Preparation Phase of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF-8) Child Project Concept tagged “Transformation to sustainable Crops, Livestock, and Aquaculture Food Systems in Nigeria.” The event which was led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) took place at Bolywood Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The focus of the program is about transforming global food systems from farm to table, so that they are sustainable, regenerative, nature-positive, resilient, inclusive, and pollution-free. According to the Minister, this aligns with the 2022-2027 National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), which describes the government efforts to diversify Nigeria’s economy through agricultural development, and ensure food security in agriculture including livestock and fishery.
“This inception workshop aimed at introducing stakeholders to the programme and outlining the project preparation process and timeline underscores the significance of our gathering amidst challenging national, regional and global circumstances. The urgency for developing self-reliance mechanisms for in country-level integration to secure food amidst crises like the natural resource degradation, climate change, and other environmental challenges cannot be overstated.
“Food production is dependent on Nature and without which the SDG 2, zero hunger by 2030 which is linked to many other SDGs can not be achieved. Conversely, the production of food through agricultural practices is a threat to nature accounting for 90% of global deforestation, 50% of fresh water biodiversity loss, 70% of global fresh water withdrawals and 33% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In order to balance these demands and meet the needs of present and future generations, sustainable food and agriculture that ensures profitability, environmental health and equity is an imperative”, Salako noted.
He said unsustainable food systems will continue to result in reduced production of nutritious food, eventually leading to malnutrition, diseases, food insecurity, and migration.
“The transition towards more efficient and comprehensive food systems in Nigeria is critical to ensure the provision of healthy and safe food in the light of escalating population growth, water scarcity, and climate change. Addressing food availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization challenges through the sustainability lens will also offer smallholder producers and rural communities the opportunities to increase income, employment, and food production.
“Innovation and digitalization in agriculture remain underutilized, yet their broad adoption can significantly drive the sustainable development of food systems. In light of these realities, we eagerly anticipate this inception workshop’s role in addressing the critical issues that our food and agricultural systems face, guided by the global, regional, and national frameworks, programs, and priorities of the FAO and the Government of Nigeria”, the Minister said.
He said the Federal Ministry of Environment is committed to support the comprehensive transformation of agriculture through climate smart agricultural practices, biosafety regulation, water harvesting, flood control and land degradation neutrality in line with the priority of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and a key deliverable of the Federal Ministry of Environment to boost agriculture and achieve food security.
“Our resolve is to ensure that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for today and the future are not compromised and growth is ensured in a milieu of environmental benefits. Our country grabbles with the challenges of insecurity, high cost of transportation and economic downturn, they are exacerbated by climatic factors, which reduce yields and fuel competition between farmers and herders for land and resources thus perpetuating insecurity, loss of livelihoods and poverty.
“To comprehensively address these challenges, we must craft flexible and innovative strategies to enhance our resilience through the optimal use of our natural and human resources, the adoption of modern agricultural technologies, and the implementation of measures to mitigate these pressures. We must tackle frontally the extensive amount of food waste as a resource management issue and a moral imperative to fight hunger, foster environmental sustainability, and aid in securing food security. Astonishingly, 28% of the world’s cultivable land is used to grow food that, rather than nourishing the hungry, ends up wasted. Therefore, managing losses and waste wisely is not only crucial to reducing the hunger experienced by millions suffering from food scarcity but also for the health of our environment.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment will continue work with other stakeholders to promote habitat resilience, agroecological practices, crop diversification, healthy, sustainable diet and food loss and waste reduction in order to secure a sustainable food and agricultural system for our country. We will continue to incorporate and implement food related policies in our NDCs. I call on the FAO and our development partners to invest in ideas and technologies to innovate our food systems, enhance sustainability and improve the quality cum quantity of our food production. Nigerians too must take action by optimizing agricultural land use, adopt innovative practices, improve efficiency, reduce waste and shift to more sustainable diets”, the Minister added.
While showing gratitude to the FAO for taking the lead on this and also to other partners who will be playing some critical roles in this process, Salako said collective decision and action remain the panacea to forge a positive path for the future of agriculture, ensuring food security, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity for all . He said by working together on multi-sectoral fronts, across government and across society Nigeria can achieve sustainable food and agriculture, ensuring food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability for all today and in the future.
