Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria now approaches food security not merely as an agricultural concern, but as a critical macroeconomic, security, and governance issue.
He stated that the Federal Government is pursuing a multi-dimensional agricultural strategy aimed at shielding the nation from global shocks while restoring productivity across key food basket regions.
Speaking at the high-level panel “When Food Becomes Security” during the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, VP Shettima emphasised that food security is being leveraged as a pillar for national security, regional cohesion, and stability. “In Nigeria, we don’t look at food security purely as an agricultural issue. It is a macroeconomic, security and governance issue. Our focus is to use food security as a pillar for national security, regional cohesion and stability,” he said.
He outlined Nigeria’s food security strategy as anchored on three main pillars: increasing food production, promoting environmental sustainability, and fostering deeper regional integration within the West African sub-region. VP Shettima explained that global supply chain disruptions and shifting trends have necessitated a focus on building resilient food systems adapted to Nigeria’s diverse ecological zones.
“Nigeria is a very large country, and there is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology. In the Sahelian North, we are dealing with desertification, deforestation and drought. In the riverine South and parts of the North Central, flooding is our major challenge,” he noted.
To address these challenges, the government is promoting drought-resistant, flood-tolerant, and early-maturing varieties of staple crops such as rice, sorghum, and millet. Efforts are also underway to redesign food systems in flood-prone southern regions to withstand climate shocks, ensuring that agricultural productivity is safeguarded across the country.
