Vice-President Kashim Shettima has announced that Nigeria is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other modern technologies to monitor food production, enhance transparency, connect producers to markets, and reduce waste across the agricultural value chain.
Shettima made the disclosure on Monday during the opening session of the United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit builds on the momentum of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the first Stocktake in 2023 (UNFSS+2), with a focus on accelerating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems transformation.
The event aims to spotlight successful national transformations, highlight innovative practices, and address challenges in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
According to the vice-president, food and nutrition have become central pillars of Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
“Food insecurity is no longer a distant concern—it is a shared affliction. Whether you live by the banks of the Niger or the Tiber, the truth is the same,” Shettima said.
He emphasized that the Fourth Industrial Revolution has provided transformative tools such as AI, geospatial analytics, and satellite-driven climate intelligence, which Nigeria has now incorporated into its agricultural strategies.
“We are deploying these tools to monitor production, enhance transparency, connect producers to markets, and reduce waste. Our faith in the capacity of our people remains unshaken,” he added.
Shettima noted that, in collaboration with the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Nigeria is investing in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones to create jobs, attract private capital, and connect rural producers to national and global markets.
He stressed, however, that increasing food production alone is insufficient.
“We believe that a sustainable food system must also be a healthy one,” he said, highlighting Nigeria’s expanded investments in school feeding programmes, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and community-based nutrition education.
The Vice President also referenced the Nutrition 774 initiative, which places Nigeria’s 774 local government areas at the core of nutrition service delivery. He explained that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, alongside directives to establish dedicated Nutrition Departments across relevant ministries.
“These are the building blocks of institutional reform and the architecture of nutrition governance,” he said.
Calling for global cooperation, Shettima described the summit as “more than a summit—it is a reckoning.”
“The scars of conflict, climate uncertainty, market distortions, and policy missteps call us to renew our commitment to multilateralism. The road ahead is long and complex, but we are not paralysed by fear,” he declared.
He affirmed that Nigeria is ready to “listen, learn, and lead” where leadership is required and pledged the country’s commitment to food systems that are resilient, nutritionally responsive, and grounded in local realities.
“Let us rise with a shared purpose. Let us build a world where no child sleeps on an empty stomach, no farmer is forgotten, and food is not a luxury—but a human right,” he concluded.
Global Leaders Call for Action
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the summit as a time for reflection and renewed commitment, stressing the need for predictable concessional finance to support agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, and education. He emphasized that climate finance must align with food systems due to the close link between hunger and environmental degradation.
“We are investing in local production, reducing reliance on imports, and building a resilient system that serves our people and future,” Ahmed said, highlighting Ethiopia’s roadmap for food system transformation.
In a recorded message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said food systems encompass more than just food—they are also about climate, justice, and human rights.
“Progress has been made since the last summit, but global hunger is rising, and economic shocks are pushing food prices up. This is not only a crisis of scarcity—it is a crisis of justice, equity, and climate,” he stated.
Other key speakers at the summit included Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, President William Ruto of Kenya, and various heads of state and representatives from multilateral organisations.
