The federal government has announced plans to establish a National Commodity Board to address the rising food prices in the country. This board will be responsible for evaluating and regulating food prices, as well as maintaining a strategic food reserve to stabilize prices of essential grains and other food items,Daily Trust reports.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made this disclosure during a two-day high-level strategic meeting on climate change, food systems, and resource mobilization at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday. Addressing the theme “Climate Resilience and Food Security: Nigeria’s Vision for the Future,” Senator Shettima emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring food security.
Highlighting ongoing policy reforms aimed at ensuring food and water availability and affordability, the Vice President stressed the importance of immediate, medium, and long-term strategies to address potential food crises. He outlined short-term measures such as revitalizing food supply through targeted interventions like distributing fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to counteract the effects of subsidy removal, as well as addressing price volatility through the establishment of a National Commodity Board.
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He reassured attendees of the government’s commitment to restoring degraded lands, with plans to restore four million hectares, or nearly 10 million acres, of degraded lands within the nation’s borders as part of its contribution to the AFR100 Initiative.
Regarding security challenges hindering farming activities, the Vice President pledged to engage the security architecture to protect farms and farmers, enabling them to return to their fields without fear of attacks.
He urged participants, including development partners, private investors, and the diplomatic community, to ensure that the high-level engagement yields positive outcomes.
