The Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, has officially launched a four-year Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (2025–2029) to reduce malnutrition and improve the nutritional wellbeing of residents across the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state.

At the launch, the State Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomole, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling malnutrition and enhancing the wellbeing of families, especially women and children. He said the initiative reflects the administration’s dedication to building a healthier and more productive population, adding that food and nutrition security go beyond health issues to encompass economic and social development.

Sen. Okpebholo explained that malnutrition negatively impacts learning outcomes in schools, reduces workplace productivity, and weakens community wellbeing. He stressed that addressing the issue requires strong coordination across different sectors such as health, agriculture, education, water, sanitation, and social protection.

“As a government, we recognize that addressing malnutrition requires more than good intentions. It demands strategy, coordination, and strong partnerships,” he said.

He added, “That is why the Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action brings together key sectors to work in synergy towards a common goal of ensuring that every Edo citizen, regardless of status, has access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food all year round. Our vision is simple but powerful, to make Edo State a place where no child suffers from malnutrition, where mothers are healthy and productive, and where every family can thrive because they are nourished to live full and dignified lives.”

The Governor emphasized that the real success of the plan will be seen in its implementation. He stated that the State Government will ensure that adequate resources are mobilized, institutions are strengthened, and accountability mechanisms are put in place to track progress and ensure transparency. According to him, the plan serves as a roadmap and a call to action that aligns with the Edo State Development Plan and global commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Two and Three, which focus on Zero Hunger, Good Health, and Well-being.

Sen. Okpebholo appreciated the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for coordinating the development of the plan in collaboration with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and technical experts. He thanked development partners for their technical and financial support and urged all Edo citizens to take ownership of the initiative for sustainable results.

In her remark, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Elizabeth Ebosele, described adequate nutrition as a critical factor for growth, development, and productivity. She said the Edo State Government’s collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners in ensuring that no child in Edo State suffers from malnutrition is a worthy effort that will improve the quality of life and economic performance of the population.

Dr. Ebosele explained that the plan was developed through broad stakeholders’ engagement and designed to deliver measurable and sustainable nutrition outcomes. She stressed that achieving food and nutrition security is central to economic growth and human capital development, while pointing out that malnutrition continues to pose serious challenges, especially among women and children, resulting in stunted growth, reduced productivity, and increased vulnerability to diseases.

According to her, the new plan focuses on improving access to nutritious food, promoting maternal and child health, strengthening local food systems, and building community awareness about balanced diets. She said the government is committed to ensuring that the plan is effectively implemented in all local government areas to achieve long-term health and development benefits.

The State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Phil-Imade Amenze Nekpen, gave an overview of the current nutrition situation in Edo State, highlighting the high prevalence of anaemia among children under five years and women of reproductive age as a major concern. She identified poverty, poor public health conditions, and disruptions to food systems as the main causes of malnutrition.

Representatives of UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, in their goodwill messages, commended the Edo State Government for its proactive approach to improving nutrition and pledged continued support to ensure effective implementation of the plan.

The UNICEF Officer in Charge of Lagos Office, Mr. Muhammad Okorie, described the launch as a clear sign of the State Government’s strong political will and urged the government to provide adequate budgetary support for the plan’s implementation. He said UNICEF will continue to partner with the state in its effort to achieve sustainable nutrition and health outcomes.

Also speaking, the WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Eyo Nora, encouraged the State Government to leverage available funding platforms to scale up interventions across communities, while emphasizing the importance of monitoring and data collection to track progress.

Similarly, the NPHCDA State Coordinator, Mr. Lawani Osawe, praised the Edo State Government for its consistent strides in health and nutrition initiatives. He described the Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action as another milestone in the government’s effort to improve public health and promote sustainable development.

Highlights of the event included the official unveiling of the Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition (2025–2029) and the investiture of His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, as Nutrition Ambassador and Best Performing Governor by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria for his role in advancing and promoting nutrition in Nigeria.

The ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with UNICEF, brought together key stakeholders including Commissioners, Local Government Chairmen, Heads of MDAs, Development Partners, and Civil Society Organizations.

Nigeria has called on the international community to significantly increase global financing to protect and restore nature’s economic value through predictable, equitable, and accessible funding mechanisms.

Speaking in Belem, Brazil, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a high-level thematic session titled “Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans,” at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), stressed that forests, landscapes, and oceans are shared global resources that require collective protection.

According to him, “since forests, landscapes, and oceans are shared resources that are outside the jurisdiction of any single nation, their protection requires global solidarity.”

Senator Shettima lamented that while nature is arguably the world’s most critical infrastructure, it has long been treated as a commodity to exploit rather than an asset to invest in. He noted that Nigeria is guided by this understanding and is “solidly driven by this knowledge to integrate nature-positive investments into its climate finance architecture.”

The Vice President explained that through Nigeria’s National Carbon Market Framework and Climate Change Fund, the government aims to mobilise up to three billion US dollars annually in climate finance. “These resources will be reinvested in community-led reforestation, blue carbon projects, and sustainable agriculture,” he stated.

He urged the international community to recognise the economic value of nature and channel significant financial resources toward protecting and restoring it through predictable and accessible mechanisms. “We call on our global partners to recognise the economic value of nature and to channel significant finance towards protecting and restoring it through predictable, equitable, and accessible funding mechanisms,” Senator Shettima said.

The Vice President also highlighted the injustice faced by developing nations in the global climate crisis. He noted that the Global South countries “have contributed least to this crisis but are today paying its highest price.” He insisted that for climate justice to be achieved, countries that have benefited more “from centuries of extraction must now lead in restoration.”

Senator Shettima further called on developed countries to increase grant-based financing, operationalise Blue Carbon Markets, and implement debt-for-nature swaps to enable developing nations to invest in conservation. “We urge the international community to scale up grant-based finance for nature-based solutions, implement debt-for-nature swaps that free developing countries to invest in conservation, operationalise Blue Carbon Markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and strengthen community-led governance so that indigenous peoples, farmers, and fisherfolk are rewarded for their stewardship rather than displaced by it,” he added.

He emphasised that nations that took their forests and oceans for granted have paid heavily for it, stressing Nigeria’s commitment to active participation in global ecological dialogues. “We, too, are under siege. We see the signs of danger in deforestation, desertification, illegal mining, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels within our borders. The Sahara advances by nearly one kilometre each year, displacing communities and eroding livelihoods. Each piece of land these threats overcome invites conflict into human lives, compounding our development challenges,” he said.

The Vice President told world leaders that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021 enshrines nature-based solutions as a legal obligation of the state, adding that the government is “taking bold, coordinated steps to restore balance between climate, nature, and development.”

He explained that the National Council on Climate Change provides the institutional backbone for integrating climate action into all sectors of governance. “We are implementing the Great Green Wall Initiative, reforesting degraded lands across eleven frontline states, planting over ten million trees and creating thousands of green jobs for our youth and women,” he noted.

He also stated that Nigeria’s National Afforestation Programme and Forest Landscape Restoration Plan aim to restore more than two million hectares of degraded land by 2030. “We have also launched our Marine and Blue Economy Policy to harness the vast potential of our seas sustainably — promoting climate-smart fisheries, coastal protection, and marine biodiversity conservation,” he added.

Senator Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with global partners to advance an agenda where climate action aligns with nature restoration and human prosperity. He dismissed the portrayal of Africa as a mere victim of climate change, describing it as “an outdated narrative about a continent that is also a source of its solutions.”

He pointed out that Africa’s rainforests, mangroves, peatlands, and oceans are among the world’s largest untapped carbon sinks, while the continent’s youth represent “the world’s greatest untapped source of innovation and resolve.”

“Nigeria believes that COP30 must mark the beginning of a new compact — one that recognises Africa’s ecosystems as global assets deserving of global investment and protection. We invite all partners to join Nigeria and the African Union in advancing the African Nature Finance Framework, designed to unlock private capital for reforestation, ecosystem restoration, and blue economy development across the continent,” he said.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the recent decline in food prices across Nigeria through sustained interventions in the agricultural value chains.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this during the 47th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS) held in Kaduna. The 2025 NCAFS, themed “Food Sovereignty and Food Security: An Era of Renewed Hope,” focused on strategies to ensure long-term food stability and availability in the country.

Kyari said that operations at the National Strategic Grain Reserve Silos located in Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Osun, Edo, and Kwara States were being improved for greater efficiency and capacity. He explained that these upgrades would help strengthen national food security and stabilize prices of essential commodities such as rice, maize, and wheat.

According to him, integrating the silos into the national food distribution framework would help establish a responsive system capable of providing timely interventions during shortages while supporting sustainable agricultural growth.

“Nigeria is charting a new course towards all-year-round farming and self-sufficiency in wheat production, bringing us closer to meeting our national demand,” Kyari said.

Speaking on the theme, the minister emphasized that food sovereignty involves control over what the nation grows, how it is cultivated, and how it is consumed. He added that food security ensures that every household has access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food.

“Together, they define the pathway toward an inclusive and resilient agricultural system that leaves no one behind,” he said.

Kyari noted that the nation was already witnessing a reduction in the prices of major food items due to targeted government market interventions. “While we are not yet where we want to be, this positive trend confirms that we are moving in the right direction,” he stated.

He further highlighted that consistent, high-yield production supported by access to quality and affordable inputs remains a key step toward achieving food sovereignty and economic growth.

Kyari explained that the ministry, in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and various state governments, had strengthened the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), Nigeria’s flagship programme for input delivery and productivity expansion.

“Through this programme, wheat production has continued to expand across the country from 15 participating states in the 2023/2024 dry season to broader coverage in the 2024/2025 farming season. The increase in scale reflects our ongoing efforts to enhance production capacity and boost self-sufficiency in key staples,” he added.