Sub-national food systems dashboard will guide policy, devt — FG

The federal government, in collaboration with partners, has launched the Nigeria Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard to guide policy actions and decisions on the food system and food security in the country.

The partners include USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

Speaking during the launch of the dashboard yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said it was not just a data repository, but a user-friendly tool that would drive positive change and food systems transformation at national and sub-national levels.

He explained that it was designed to guide Nigeria’s policy makers and businesses at both national and sub-national levels to make informed decisions and also address challenges in the country’s food system.

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He said that the dashboard would also serve as a platform for fostering collaboration and synergy between the various components of the food system, adding that it was also linked to the global food systems dashboard.

Abdullahi further said that the dashboard incorporated 99 indicators that had been identified and screened in a comprehensive view of Nigeria’s food system at all levels.

He noted that, “It offers a list of suggested policy actions and decisions for each state based on thorough diagnosis of the data collected by the dashboard. These actions have the potential to improve the food system and advance national development efforts.”

Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Nigeria, Dr Michael Ojo, said that the government had declared a state of emergency on food security, noting that the dashboard provided an opportunity for the government to examine areas where Nigeria was not doing well in comparison to other countries in Africa.

He said that researchers, academics and students would also easily access comprehensive data to identify and analyse insights and emerging trends in the country’s food system.

While noting that the dashboard would help business leaders and entrepreneurs to identify areas for investment, he said it would also provide information for baseline studies and reports for government, policy analysts, statistics agencies and support partners.