15 countries of West Africa and the Sahel meet in Abuja to deliberate on the status of agrifood systems
Abuja - Nigeria - Fifteen countries from West Africa and Sahel sub-region are being hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria at the 13th Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (MDT13) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for West Africa, which among other things, will deliberate on the food and nutrition situation in the area.
The 3-day meeting opening on 15th March 2022, will be both virtual and physical, attracting the attendance of over 200 delegates from the ECOWAS member states including senior officials, ministers and commissioners of agriculture, FAO staff, regional technical organisations, civil society among others.
Taking stock of developments
Under the theme: ‘Joining efforts to build resilient Agrifood Systems in West Africa and Sahel’, the countries will take stock of developments, achievements and challenges of the previous year, the alignment of national priorities with those of the sub-region and Africa Region at large and then plan for the emerging issues during 2022.
The MDT13 comes at a time when the West African and the Sahel societies are in the midst of rapid demographic and socioeconomic transformations, with population growth, urbanization, rising incomes, climate change and globalization acting as key drivers of change.
At the same time, West Africa’s agrifood system faces continuing challenges of a declining natural resource base, recurrent natural and human-caused disasters, climate change, and rising insecurity.
In his message during his meeting with FAO Nigeria delegation ahead of the meeting, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who is the host on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Dr. Mohammad Mahamood Abubakar, said that this was a great opportunity for the country and the region as a whole to deliberate on food security and nutrition issues facing them.
An opportunity for Nigeria
“This is quite an opportunity for the countries to come together. I have always advocated for Africa to cooperate more than we are doing now. We need more of brotherly country to country cooperation. I believe this is one of those opportunities of getting this message across,” Dr. Abubakar said adding:
“I can assure you of Nigeria’s full participation to make sure that our priorities as a country and those of the region align with FAO’s objectives for our own benefits and development through cooperation and coordination.”
Speaking in Abuja ahead of the meeting, the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero, said:
“The Meeting will further deliberate on the current food and nutrition situation in the subregion and its determinants, as well as on the needs and requirements of the member states and key partner institutions to mitigate the situation,” Mr. Kafeero said.
He added that the meeting will also be an opportunity to reinforce cohesion for enhanced collaboration, joint planning and mutual accountability in driving actions towards a resilient agrifood systems, among key partners. These include regional bodies and member states together with their counterparts in FAO and other UN Agencies, regional producer organizations and technical and financial partners.
For three days, under the Chairmanship of Hon. Abubakar, the 200 expected participants will assess the current food and nutrition situation in the sub-region and its determinants. They will then determine the needs and requirements of ECOWAS member states and key partner institutions to mitigate the situation
Related Links
https://www.fao.org/africa/news/detail-news/en/c/1475348/
https://www.fao.org/africa/events/detail-events/en/c/1380827/
For more details Comtact:
Emmanuel Kihaule David Tsokar Opeyemi Olagunju
Communications Specialist Communications Specialist Communications/Reporting Officer
FAO Nigeria FAO Nigeria FAO Nigeria – North East Sub Office