Vice President Kashim Shettima has unveiled Nigeria’s new macro-level food security strategy, declaring that the Federal Government now treats food security as a critical macroeconomic, security and governance issue rather than a narrow agricultural concern.
Shettima made this known on Wednesday while speaking at a high-level panel titled “When Food Becomes Security” at the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting held at the Congress Centre in Davos, Switzerland.
According to the Vice President, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has adopted a multi-dimensional agricultural approach aimed at insulating Nigeria from global supply shocks while restoring productivity in the country’s major food-producing regions.
“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.
Shettima explained that Nigeria’s food security strategy is built on three pillars: increased food production, environmental sustainability and deeper regional integration within the West African sub-region.
He noted that changing global trends, climate pressures and supply chain disruptions had compelled Nigeria to look inward and rebuild resilient food systems tailored to its diverse ecological zones.
The Vice President highlighted environmental challenges across the country, including desertification, deforestation and drought in the Sahelian North, as well as flooding in the riverine South and parts of the North Central zone.
To address these challenges, he said the Federal Government is promoting drought-resistant, flood-tolerant and early-maturing varieties of staple crops such as rice, sorghum and millet, while redesigning food systems in flood-prone areas to withstand climate shocks.
On security, Shettima acknowledged that many of Nigeria’s food basket regions are affected by insecurity, which has disrupted farming activities and food supply.
“Most of the food baskets of our nation are security-challenged. That is why we are creating food security corridors and strengthening community-based security engagements so farmers can return safely to their land,” he said.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has launched the Back to the Farm Initiative, a programme designed to resettle displaced farmers and provide them with agricultural inputs, insurance and access to capital to restart food production.
Addressing macroeconomic concerns, the Vice President identified import dependence and foreign exchange volatility as major drivers of food inflation in the country.
“We largely import wheat, sugar and dairy products, and this has a direct impact on inflation. Our strategy is to accelerate local production and promote substitutes such as sorghum, millet and cassava flour to correct these structural imbalances,” he said.
Shettima stated that Nigeria’s approach aligns food security with national stability, inflation control and regional cooperation, positioning agriculture as a frontline response to both economic and security challenges.
He further noted that Nigeria, under the Tinubu administration, has “woken up from its slumber,” expressing confidence that ongoing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda would make it possible for smallholder farmers and fishers to become investable at scale within 12 months.
The Vice President also stressed the importance of intra-African trade, describing it as a necessity in light of current global trends, and urged African leaders to intensify cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He expressed optimism that sustained reforms would soon translate into effective climate adaptation measures and a significant expansion of intra-African trade beyond the current 10.7 per cent level.
The remarks were contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Mr Stanley Nkwocha.
