The Plateau State Government has endorsed and launched a Strategic Food Security Plan to strengthen the state’s agricultural sector, improve livelihoods, and enhance food security across communities.
The plan, recently unveiled in Jos, was developed under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria Programme (SPRING) and implemented by the Supply Chain Research and Innovation Hub (SCRIH) in collaboration with the Plateau State Government.
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The initiative brought together representatives of the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, officials from Mangu, Pankshin and Shendam local government areas, community leaders, researchers and other stakeholders, who contributed to the development of the strategy.
Speaking at the launch, the Regional Programme Manager of SPRING, Mujidang Sitang, said the project had produced not only the Strategic Food Security Plan but also an Early Warning and Early Response Framework to help the state anticipate and respond to food security challenges.
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Represented by the programme’s Regional Grant Officer, Tony Mark Yusuf, Mr Sitang said the project also trained security personnel, including operatives of the state’s security outfit, Operation Rainbow, to support efforts to improve food security.
He said the strategy was developed through a rigorous and inclusive process, making it both practical and sustainable.
Mr Sitang urged the state government to move beyond merely endorsing the document and ensure its full implementation.
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“We appeal to the government not to allow this document to gather dust on the shelf. It should be implemented because it has the potential to address food security challenges across the state,” he said.
The Executive Director of SCRIH, Adebayo Adeleke, represented by Yusuf Akorede, said the plan provides a comprehensive framework for transforming Plateau’s agricultural sector while ensuring that women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are actively involved in efforts to strengthen food security.
“The plan we are launching today provides a clear roadmap for coordinated action, effective resource mobilisation and shared accountability.
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“However, its success will not be measured by today’s launch, but by the actions we take and the results we achieve together in the months and years ahead.
“I urge each of us to remain focused on the bigger picture: a Nigeria where food security is a reality for every household,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the Plateau State Government, the Director of Agricultural Services in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lang Zakka, described the partnership as a significant step towards improving livelihoods, strengthening communities and promoting sustainable development.
Mr Zakka said the initiative also recognises the close link between peace and food production.
“There can be no food security without peace and security. This project has helped bring communities together, improved security and produced encouraging results in the areas where it has been implemented,” he said.
He assured stakeholders that the state government would sustain the momentum by implementing the plan.
“The government will take over from where our development partners have stopped. We will ensure this does not remain just a policy document but becomes a working document because peace and food security remain key priorities for the Plateau State Government,” he said.
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