Enugu Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. David Okelue Ugwunta has stated that the state government under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is addressing the challenges related to food systems.
The Commissioner stated this on 21st July, 2022 in his welcome address at the Enugu State Government facilitated ‘South East Zonal Sensitization Workshop on Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways for Nigeria’ held at Sunshine Hotel Enugu.
Dr Ugwunta noted that: “The food system is made up of all the actors, activities, and processes leading to food consumption and is a considerable part of a national economy,” adding that: “Food Systems when not addressed pose threats to many developmental issues, including hunger, malnutrition, disease, poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence, slow economic growth and even recession.
“South-East Zonal Sensitization Workshop on Implementation of the UN Food Systems Transformation Pathways for Nigeria is an offshoot of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS); a bottom-up approach to solving Food Systems challenges. It was kick-started with Regional Dialogues across the Country. The South-East regional dialogue of the United Nations Food Systems Summit which was supported by Enugu State Government was held in April 2021 at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu.
Speaking further, Dr Ugwunta said that in its effort to addressing challenges related to food systems, Governor Ugwuanyi:
“Set up and inaugurated Enugu State Committee on Food and Nutrition made up of MDAs involved in Nutrition and Food Systems which is under the State Ministry of Budget and Planning.
“Adopted the National Food and Nutrition Policy as well as the domestication of the Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition.
“Facilitated the participation of Enugu State in the ongoing UNICEF Progressive Action on Resilient Systems for Nutrition through Innovation and Partnership (PARSNIP) aimed at addressing malnutrition.
“Funded the sensitization of the public on the health benefits, of exclusive breast feeding, MNCH Programmes amongst other programmes.
“Facilitated the state’s participation in the Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS); AFDB Assisted Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-1 (ATASP-1); International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD)/FGN Assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) aimed at providing inputs and infrastructure to enhance food systems in the State.
Dr. Ugwunta also pointed out that: “All these interventions by Governor Ugwuanyi culminated into Enugu State been among the first 15 states that recorded improvements in more than one commitment area on nutrition in the 2nd quarter (April-June) 2021 of the Nigerian Governors Forum Nutrition Scorecard.”
The MDAs that participated at the 2-day ‘South East Zonal Sensitization Workshop on Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways for Nigeria’ include: Budget & Planning, Agriculture, Health, Gender & Women Affairs, Information, Education, Commerce & Industry and Water Resources.
Participants include, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Academia, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, CSOs amongst others drawn from South East States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, & Imo.
Dr Ugwunta also highlighted the achievements of Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration in 2021 towards improving food security in the state from 3 (three) main perspectives to include:
•The Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS).
•AFDB Assisted Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-1 (ATASP-1)
•International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD)/FGN Assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Enugu State.
Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project
•Under this programme over 1,000 (One Thousand) Farm Groups have indicated interest in the Value Chain Investment Plan (VCIP) for Poultry, Rice and Cassava worth Five Billion Naira (N5, 000,000,000.00).
•Mobilization of farmers/formation of Commodity Interest Groups for registration as Cooperative Societies with Enugu State Ministry of Human Capital Development have been done.
•Fifty-two (52) beneficiaries in the Poultry Value Chain Investment Plan, and three (3) beneficiaries in Rice Value Chain Investment Plan with a combined worth of Three Hundred and Seventeen Million, One Hundred and Seventy-One Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-One Naira, sixty kobo (N317,171,541.60) have been fully implemented and disbursed.
•A total of One Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifteen (1615) beneficiaries have been trained in the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) subcomponent for Business Investment Plan (BIP) in Poultry, Cashew, Rice, Aquaculture, and Cassava.
•CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) registration is currently being processed for all the trained beneficiaries including eighty-five (85) Persons with Disability and Special Needs (PWDSN).
•Out of this number, World Bank and State Executive Council approval have been obtained for the empowerment of Two Hundred and Thirty-Two (232) beneficiaries with Four Hundred and Seventy Million, Eight Hundred and Eight Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty-One Naira (N470, 889,751.00) worth of Business Investment Plan (BIP) in the 1st Batch.
•Business Investment Plan (BIP) is being developed for the remaining One Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty-Three (1,383) beneficiaries.
•Fifteen (15) Aggregation and Cottage Processing Centers are to be constructed across the 3 senatorial zones of the state.
The AFDB Assisted Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-1 (ATASP-1) is designed to enhance food security, rural income and employment creation through Agri-business development. This programme is achieving its purpose and also providing ancillary facilities to the host communities as follows:
•Assisting the marketing of farm produce for Farmers through the construction of rice markets with stores/Aggregation centers at Adani rice market and Isu cassava market of Uzo Uwani and Isi-Uzo LGAs, respectively.
•The drilling of four (4) boreholes in Ezimo Agu (Urukpa); Agu-Orba; and Obollo Afor in Udenu LGA as well as Adani Community in Uzo-Uwani LGA.
•Construction of two (2) Health Clinics at Ibenda-Obollo and Asaba in Udenu and Uzo-Uwani LGAs.
•Construction of Obinna Primary School, Adani in Uzo Uwani LGA; Two (2) Classroom blocks with Headmaster’s Office and toilet at Peoples Primary School Ezimo-Agu in Udenu LGA; Ngenikpa Primary School Amede in Isi Uzo LGA; Agu-Orba Primary School in Udenu LGA.
•Construction of 2-span Obinna Bridge and 63km gravel-surfaced roads with 6km double surfaced feeder roads at Adani in Uzo Uwani LGA.
•Construction of concrete lining of 16.45km main canal and 6km concrete lining of first Secondary canal of Adada Rice Farm.
•Rehabilitation of various Hydraulic Structures at Ada Rice Farm, Adani, Uzo Uwani LGA to increase cultivation and production of rice all year round.
FGN/IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) Value Chain Development Project (VCPD): Recall that this administration subscribed and paid a counterpart contribution of Ninety-One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N91, 500,000.00) for the FGN/IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) Value Chain Development Project (VCPD) for the year 2019/2020. The programme operating in five LGAs of Enugu State has recorded the following achievements:
•Aninri: One (1) Market Stall (16 stalls with Office) at Okpanku and one (1) Culvert leading to farm clusters at Oduma Achalla Community.
•Enugu East: one (1) Market Stall (16 stalls with Office) at Ugwogo Nike; one (1) Water Borehole and one (1) Culvert leading to farm clusters at Ogbeke, Nike
•Isi Uzo: Ten (10) lock-up Stores at Eke Eha-Amufu Rice Market; one (1) Solar-powered Water Borehole at Mbu Cassava Market; and a Mini Bridge at Epeye Farm Road, Amede Eha Amufu.
•Nkanu East: one (1) Solar Powered Water Borehole at Nkerefi Rice Market and one (1) Culvert at Anaiyi Rice Farm Road
•Udenu: one (1) Solar-Powered Water Borehole and ten (10) lock-up Stores at Orie Orba Cassava Market; one (1) Ring Culvert constructed at a connecting road to Owerre-Eze Orba Cassava Farms.
