By Chinyere Anyanwu
The need to implement Nigeria’s Right to Food Act, which was signed into law in 2023 by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, formed the crux of discussions at a recent Stakeholders Dialogue held in Lagos.
Participants at the programme, a collaborative effort of Oxfam Nigeria and Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), harped on the urgency of addressing the need to adequately feed the country’s growing population, calling for collaboration across all sectors.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Abisola Olusanya, who was represented by the Lagos State Coordinator, Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support, Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebor, stated that Nigerians would have abundance of food when government and citizens alike recognise and play their respective roles in the food system.
The commissioner said, “when we talk of food security, government has no business doing farming directly but they can support farmers so we can have food in abundance. Every Nigerian must see how we can make food available.
“Government will sit up and sit right when they know the average Nigerian is doing the right thing. So many times, government supports farmers but one or two years down the line, when you go back to those places you can’t find any evidence of those supports.
“There has to be continuation of every project. Accountability begins with you and I. As an individual, you are accountable to ensure that whatever support that is given to you is utilised rightly.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the GIFSEP Team Lead, Dr. Michael David, identified the right to food as a fundamental right and not mere human need.
He said, “today marks a significant step forward in our collective efforts to ensure that every Nigerian enjoys the fundamental human right to adequate food, a right that is now recognised through the passage of the Right to Food Act. This law represents a historic shift in how we view food security, not as a privilege for some but as a legally protected right for all.”
Dr. David urged participants to leverage the unique opportunity provided by the forum, “to examine the current realities, assess the gaps and identify strategies for effective implementation of the Right to Food Act. As we engage in constructive discussions, let us be guided by the urgency of the moment – the rising food insecurity, economic challenges and the impact of climate change on agriculture. It is our hope that this dialogue will not only raise awareness but also build a strong foundation for multi-stakeholder collaboration and accountable governance structures that will bring this law to life in the lives of ordinary Nigerians.”
In her remarks, the Acting Manager, Just Economics, Oxfam Nigeria, Peggy Maimaji, commended the stakeholders for their positive response to the dialogue, which she said underscores their commitment to ensuring that “every Nigerian has access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, a right that is now enshrined in the constitution.”
She noted that, “at Oxfam Nigeria, we see the right to food as a call to action mandating Nigeria to go from policy formulation to implementation. This involves not just government stakeholders but requires the involvement of civil society, the media and smallholder women farmers. At Oxfam, we recognise and celebrate the role of smallholder women farmers in our nation’s food security. So it’s not possible to have a conversation about food security or push for the implementation of an Act like the Right to Food without the involvement of smallholder women farmers.
Maimaji who decried Nigeria’s failings in the area of policy implementation, said, “Oxfam’s collaboration with GIFSEP and other civil society organisations like HEDAP exemplifies the power of partnership in promoting awareness and advocating the Act’s implementation.”
According to her, “Section 16 (a) of the Right to Food Act states that the state must put in place strategies that ensure food availability, accessibility and affordability. So it’s the mandate of government to ensure that this policy is implemented while the role of the citizens is to hold government accountable.
As we engage in these conversations, let us focus on actionable strategies that will facilitate the implementation of the Right to Food Act and by so doing, make us food secure and help to eliminate hunger and poverty in our nation.”
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer, Ogbonge Women, Joy Onime, insists that citizens must demand accountability from government, saying promises mean nothing without action.
Onime said, “we celebrate the Right to Food Act, which makes food a legal right in Nigeria. It’s a promise that our government must now guarantee the availability and accessibility of food. The Right to Food law transforms food from being a privilege to being an enforceable right. By implementing the law in full, we can lift millions out of hunger and poverty.”
Onime, who lamented the poor funding of agriculture, said, “right now, the budget for agriculture and food security is woefully low compared to the need. We urge policymakers to allocate the funds and resources required so that food truly becomes available and affordable to all.
“Public officials must work hand in hand with farmers’ cooperatives, women’s networks and NGOs. When government commitment, private innovation and community action come together, we create lasting solutions to hunger.”
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