The Plateau State Government has endorsed and launched a strategic food security plan aimed at strengthening the state’s agricultural system and improving food security.
The programme, held recently in Jos, the state capital, was developed under the SPRING Programme and implemented by the Supply Chain Research and Innovation Hub (SCRIH) in collaboration with the Plateau State Government.
Representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development from Mangu, Pankshin and Shendam Local Government Areas of the state, as well as community leaders, researchers and other stakeholders, contributed their expertise and perspectives to the project.
Speaking at the event, the Regional Programme Manager of SPRING, Mujidang Sitang, said that, in addition to the strategic food security plan, the programme had also developed an early warning and early response framework for the state.
Represented by the Regional Grant Officer of SPRING, Tony Mark Yusuf, Sitang also said the programme had trained some security personnel, as well as personnel of the state’s security outfit, Operation Rainbow.
According to him, the project was implemented with a high level of professionalism, expressing confidence that the food security plan would be effective and sustainable.
He called on the state government not to shelve the plan or merely endorse it, but to implement it, saying it had the potential to address food crises in the state.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of the Supply Chain Research and Innovation Hub (SCRIH), Adebayo Adeleke, represented by Yusuf Akorede, said the plan would transform the agricultural landscape by ensuring that women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups actively participated in strengthening food security across the state and contributing to Nigeria’s broader food security agenda.
“The plan we are launching today provides a clear roadmap for coordinated action, effective resource mobilisation and shared accountability.
“However, its success will not be measured by today’s launch, but by the actions we take and the results we achieve together in the months and years ahead.
“I urge each of us to remain focused on the bigger picture of the plan: a Nigeria where food security is a reality for every household,” he said.
Reacting on behalf of the government, the Director of Agricultural Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lang Zakka, said the programme and partnership with the government were aimed at improving families, livelihoods and communities.
He said the initiative was also targeted at promoting peace and security in communities, stressing that food security could not be achieved without peace and security.
Zakka further stated that the project had brought many communities together and improved security within those communities, adding that there had been significant positive testimonies in this regard.
He assured stakeholders that the government would take up the remaining tasks from where the partners had stopped and ensure that the plan became not just a policy document but a working document, stressing that the government prioritised peace and food security in communities.