Food security: FG inaugurates Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard 

The Federal Government on Thursday inaugurated the Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard which is expected to inform the Presidency on policy actions and measure the food system transformation agenda for national development. 

This was disclosed by Sen. Sabi Aliyu-Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security during the inauguration in Abuja. 

He added that the dashboard would facilitate the transformation of Nigeria’s food system in each state. 

Aliyu-Abdullahi said the policy dashboard would provide  insights and outline priority actions for stakeholders, adding: 

Nigeria’s agriculture Minister also revealed that the dashboard is linked to the global food system dashboard and analyses data for public and private both within the country and globally. 

He said the dashboard will incorporate 99 indicators that have been meticulously identified and screened in a comprehensive view of Nigeria’s food system at all levels. 

The Minister also revealed that FG has already developed a food system profile for some states, which he said would be instrumental in advocacy efforts to engage key decision-makers in the transformation of Nigeria’s food system. 

He added that this would also provide a map of emerging business opportunities and potential areas for investment in food system transformation. 

He noted that the cost and affordability of a healthy diet and diet polity, which are key indicators from the dashboard, had been adopted to improve nutrition and food security in the country. 

Dr. Micheal Ojo, Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nigeria, said that the dashboard would provide the needed evidence to inform policies and decision-making on food security through  “critical evidence-based policy” as researchers, academics, and students would easily access comprehensive data to identify and analyse insights and emerging trends in Nigeria’s food system.

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