The United Nations World Food Programme has developed a $2.5 billion Country Strategic Plan to tackle rising hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.
Nairametrics reported that WFP Country Director, David Stevenson, revealed that regions in the North East, North West, and other chosen states are the focus of the initiative.
In a joint press conference with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Stevenson made the announcement highlighting the importance of an all-encompassing strategy in addressing the escalating crisis.
According to Stevenson, the plan establishes the full scope of WFP’s assistance to Nigeria for a five-year period beginning in 2023 and ending in 2027.
In accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 2, the plan is created to assist Nigeria in achieving improved nutrition and food security by 2030.
Nigeria would receive more than $500 million annually under the country plan, which has a $2.56 billion estimated value, to help the country achieve food security and enhance nutrition by 2030.
The UN chief also stated that the organization’s plan CSP would advance gender equality, climate action, inclusive education, excellent health, and well-being, as well as build strengthened cooperation in order to boost the national humanitarian and development response in accordance with the SDGs.
“And we are signing contracts with Nigerian businesses and civil societies every day to get the food assistance to where it is needed.”
Insisting that the WFP operates a food system that views conflict as the enemy of progress, he urged Nigerians that this would be a new WFP that would invest in the Nigerian economy, meet their needs, and contribute to agricultural, productive food system solutions. He also stated that WFP was making a sizable investment in the Nigerian economy by purchasing and making investments locally.
“Everything here is in line with the Nigeria Agenda 2050, the country’s national development strategy,” he said.
