Federal Government Launches Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit to Combat Food Insecurity

 The Federal Government has established the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) to address the current hardship and food insecurity in Nigeria.

Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the unit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, highlighting that this initiative is part of the administration's comprehensive strategy to combat hunger.

The PFSCU will collaborate with state governments, development partners, and other key stakeholders to tackle rising commodity prices and overall food insecurity nationwide.

In his address to the new unit, which includes governors, cabinet ministers, and representatives of development partners, Vice President Shettima clarified that the PFSCU is not designed to replace the Ministry of Agriculture. Instead, it aims to harness the ideas and resources of all stakeholders to address the urgent issue of food security.

Shettima pointed to the Green Imperative Programme, a government-catalyzed, private-sector-driven agricultural industrialization initiative, as a key focus for the PFSCU. He emphasized that with improved farming practices, better seeds, and effective use of fertilizers, Nigeria's agricultural productivity could see significant improvements.

He stated:

"The nation is facing a rare food security crisis and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better. Food insecurity endangers the very basis of our democratic experiment, and this is why all hands have to be on deck. We are in a food security crisis, but it also provides us the opportunity to re-engineer and reposition the nation on a firmer footing."

The PFSCU's mandate is to ensure coordinated efforts in implementing strategies that will enhance food security and alleviate the burden of high food prices on Nigerians.