Vice-President Kashim Shettima has revealed that Nigeria is harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other modern technologies to improve food production, enhance transparency, connect producers to markets, and reduce waste across the agricultural value chain.
Shettima made this statement during the opening session of the United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), held on Monday 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), focusing on fast-tracking the transformation of food systems to be more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. The event also aims to showcase successful country-level transformations, highlight innovative practices, and address challenges in fragile and conflict-affected regions.
Food and Nutrition as National Priorities
The vice-president emphasized that food and nutrition have become central pillars of Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and Nigeria Agenda 2050.
“Food insecurity is no longer a distant shadow. It is a shared affliction. Whether you live by the banks of the Niger or the banks of the Tiber, the reality is the same,” he said.
Shettima noted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution has introduced tools that were once unimaginable — tools now integral to Nigeria’s agricultural strategies.
“Artificial Intelligence, geospatial analytics, and satellite-driven climate intelligence are now part of our agricultural vocabulary,” he said.
“We are deploying these tools to monitor production, enhance transparency, connect producers to markets, and reduce waste across the value chain.”
He further disclosed that Nigeria, in collaboration with the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is investing in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones. These hubs, he said, are designed not just for production but to serve as “engines of transformation” by creating jobs, attracting private capital, and linking rural producers to both national and global markets.
Building a Healthy and Resilient Food System
According to Shettima, increased food production alone is not sufficient.
“A sustainable food system must also be a healthy one,” he said.
To that end, Nigeria has scaled up investments in school feeding programmes, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and community-driven nutrition education. A key initiative in this effort is Nutrition 774, which places all of Nigeria’s 774 local governments at the center of nutrition delivery.
“We are making the Sustainable Development Goals local. We are transforming pledges into meals,” he said.
Shettima revealed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, serving as the implementation framework for the revised national food and nutrition policy. The government has also directed the establishment of Nutrition Departments in relevant ministries — steps he described as vital for institutional reform and effective nutrition governance.
A Call for Global Unity and Action
Shettima used the platform to call for renewed global commitment and cooperation.
“This is more than a summit — it is a reckoning,” he declared.
“The scars of conflict, climate uncertainty, market distortions, and policy missteps demand that we recommit to multilateralism.”
Acknowledging the complexities ahead, he stressed the need for bold ideas, shared resolve, and careful planning to build a better global food system.
“Nigeria is ready to listen, learn, and lead wherever leadership is required,” he said.
“We are here to champion food systems that are climate-resilient, nutrition-responsive, and grounded in local realities.”
He concluded with a passionate appeal for global food justice:
“Let us leave Addis Ababa not with diplomatic pleasantries but with conviction. A broken food system anywhere diminishes the dignity of humanity everywhere. Let us rise with shared purpose to build a world where no child sleeps hungry, no farmer is forgotten, and food is not a luxury but a human right.”
Ethiopian PM and Global Leaders Echo Urgency
In his remarks, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia said the summit was an opportunity to assess progress and renew shared commitments to resilient, inclusive, and just food systems.
Ahmed called for predictable concessional financing to drive investments in agriculture, rural transformation, infrastructure, and literacy. He stressed that climate finance must align with food systems, noting that hunger and environmental degradation are closely interlinked.
“Since the first Food Systems Summit in 2021, Ethiopia has launched a comprehensive roadmap for food system transformation,” he said.
“We are reducing reliance on imports and building a resilient system that serves our people and future.”
Ahmed also acknowledged the current global challenges — from conflicts and market disruptions to declining development aid — but said Ethiopia remains committed to bold, human-centered reforms.
UN Chief: Food Systems Tied to Climate, Justice, and Equity
In a recorded message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated that food systems are linked not only to nutrition, but to climate, justice, and the right to a better future.
“We have made progress since the last summit, but it’s not enough. Global hunger is rising, and economic shocks are pushing food prices higher,” he said.
“Africa’s food crisis is not just about scarcity — it is a crisis of justice, equity, and climate.”
Guterres warned that climate change is destroying harvests, disrupting supply chains, and hampering humanitarian efforts.
Other Global Voices
Other prominent leaders who addressed the summit include:
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy
President William Ruto of Kenya
Heads of state and representatives from various multilateral organisations
They all echoed a unified message: urgent, coordinated action is essential to securing a future where food systems are just, sustainable, and resilient.
