By Abdullahi Lukman
In a fresh approach to addressing Nigeria’s food security challenges, the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) held a strategic dialogue with prominent news media houses and agricultural journalists in Abuja.
The meeting, focused on fostering a closer partnership between the media and the PFSCU, aimed to strengthen agricultural reporting and raise awareness on national food security issues.
Marion Moon, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Coordinator of the PFSCU, outlined the Unit’s mission to reform Nigeria’s food systems through data-driven strategies.
She emphasized the media’s crucial role in amplifying the government’s food security agenda and holding stakeholders accountable, stating, “Achieving food security is a national imperative, and the media is essential in communicating this message.”
The media representatives present highlighted several pressing challenges in agricultural reporting, such as limited access to reliable data, insufficient government support, and security issues that hamper coverage.
They also noted the lack of inclusive participation in accessing critical data and called for the establishment of a centralized data platform to support more effective reporting.
In response, the PFSCU committed to enhancing collaboration with the media, proposing regular journalist training programs, better access to government agricultural initiatives, and the formation of a joint working group between the PFSCU and media outlets.
Recognizing the media’s vital role, PFSCU assured that it would institutionalize these efforts to help drive the government’s goals for food security and agricultural transformation.
Through these initiatives, the PFSCU aims to accelerate progress on food security, agricultural industrialization, and sustainable economic growth across the country.