Communique issued at the end of the Nigeria Zero Hunger Forum Sokoto, Sokoto State Date: 21 - 22 November 2018
The fourth meeting of the Nigeria Zero Hunger Forum (NZHF) was held on 21 & 22 November 2018 in Sokoto, Sokoto State, to review the implementation of the priority actions ofthe State, and the progress made
by the other Pilot States since the last meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State,
8-9 March 2018.
Before the commencement of the meeting, the Chair of the NZHF, Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo commissioned the newly built ultra modern Sokoto
Conference Center.
The meeting had in attendance representatives ofthe 5 Pilot States namely:
Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, .Ogun and Sokoto. The new entrant, Kebbi State,
was also represented. Other States which are not among the pilot States but
in attendance were Enugu, Kaduna, and Oyo. Apart from representatives
from the States, other participants comprised the technical partner to the
NZHF- the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (lIT A)
World Food Program (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the
secretariat International mailing address Headquarters 1 IITA, Grosvenor House, 125 High Street p, B 5320, Oyo Road, Idl-Osi1e. Ib ad an, Nigeria )tt) i.~ . ~ .. ·Ut w'p.or9 ••
United Nations (FAO) Africa Rice Center, members of the private sector, farmer groups, and members of the Sokoto State traditional council.
State executives at the meeting were the Host Governor, H.E. Rt. Hon.
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Deputy Governor of Borno State, H.E.
Maman Usman Durkwa; and the Speaker of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon.
Francis Ogbono Nwifure. The Benue State Commissioner for
Agriculture, Hon. Terkimbi Nyakuma represented the Governor of
Benue State; while the Special Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State
on Agriculture, Mr. Akinola Lawson represented the Goven10r of
Ogun State.
Other dignitaries at the 4th NZHF were His Eminence, the Sultan of
Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa' ad Abubakar; former Governor of Anambra
State, H.E. Mr. Peter Obi, and former Governor of Adamawa State,
Alhaji Murtala Nyako.
Secretariat International mailing address Headquarters 2 IITA. Grosvenor Hou se. 125 High Street Pi\lB 5320. Oyo Roed. Idl-Oshe. Ibadan. Nigeria Highlights of the meeting were presentations from the NZHF
Secretariat, a Baseline Report on Sokoto State, ProgresslUpdates made from Sokoto, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Ogun and Kebbi States.
Goodwill messages were received from WFP, FAO, His Eminence,
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar; H.E. former
Goven1or Mr. Peter Obi, and representatives of the pilot States.
A talk was given by the former Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji
Murtala Nyako on the importance of agriculture, nutrition and human
development.
Field tours were conducted in two groups: Group A, which had
former President Obasanjo, Governor Tambuwal, former Governor
Nyako, and other dignitaries. Group A visited the following sites:
Adiya Farms, Sidi Akibu Dairy Farm, Sokoto Dairy Plant, Tomato
Green House at Rabah, and Sokoto Ranch at Jiccini. Group B visited
K.K. Rice, Organic Fertilizer Plant, Dangote Rice Mill Project,
Goronyo Dam Site, and Rice field at Falaliya.
Secretariat International m a iling address Headquarters 3 IITA, Gros venor House. 125 Igh Street PIVlB 53 20, Oyo Road. tdi-Oshe, Ibadan, Nigeria "T'_ L ...... ,. l"Il'In l"l .... 4 . ... '" .. ,.,1"1. 1"1.,.,1"11"1 ...... r- . I 1 .. .4 1"1 ' J . I . " . , ...... 1"\ "'", ...... ,1"\ A • 0"" .,..,,.,. I"II"I., r ,...,... ,..,.,..,.. After the two-day discussions and deliberations, members of the
Forum made the following suggestions/recommendations and resolutions.
~ Participants at the Forum commended the Local Organizing
Committee (LoC) in Sokoto State for excellently organizing the
meeting, under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to the State
Government, Prof Bashir Garba . .
~ Members of the Forum lauded the Government of Sokoto State
for meeting the targets of the Maputo declaration by investing
more than 10 percent of annual budget on agriculture. The State
was also commended for its investment in education.
~ The Forum discussed approaches to agricultural development
and reiterated that agribusiness provided the right path for
agricultural transformation. States were encouraged not to
undertake agricultural programs as 'development' but rather as
a business to engender sustainability.
Secretariat International mailing address Headqu arters 4 IITA. Grosvenor House. 125 High Street P B 5320. Oyo Road. Idi-Oshe. tbadan. Nigeria .i)@ ..~. wfp.o/'ll • • .
~ The Baseline report focusing on Sokoto was discussed. It was
observed that the State had made remarkable progress in
agricultural production. However, more efforts were needed to
address malnutrition.
~ Efforts by Sokoto State to tackle malnutrition were appreciated
especially the investment in the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic
Foods (RUTF) towards addressing malnutrition in children.
~ Addressing malnutrition is key for Sokoto state. In this context,
the Government was advised to partner with the private sector
in the establishment of food manufacturing industries that
would produce RUTF using local materials and targeting
children.
~ It was also agreed that awareness on breast feeding should be
intensified and that women should be supported in nutrition-
enhancing enterprises that would provide nutritious food
Secretariat International mailing address Headquarters 5 IITA, Grosvenor House, 125 High Street PMB 5320 , Oyo Road, Idi-Oshe, Ibadan, Nigeria options to the population and at the same time as Income
generating activities for women.
~ The in1peratives of research to agricultural developn1ent was
discussed. It was agreed that investment in agricultural research
and extension services was important towards achieving zero
hunger. Consequently, Federal and State Governments were
urged to invest in research and extension.
~ The involvement of youth in agriculture was extensively
discussed. It was agreed that Governments should create
programs that will deliberately attract and retain youth in
agribusiness. The action of Sokoto State in encouragIng
livestock production In vanous Agribusiness fashion as
indicated in the private farms of Adiya Poultry Farm and Sidi
Akibu Dairy Farm is appreciated.
>- Funding for development projects was discussed. Sokoto was
advised to explore funding options from institutions such as
Secretariat International mailing address Headquarters 6 IITA, Grosvenor House, 125 High Street Pt'.iS 53 20, Oyo Road. Idl-Oshe, Ibadan. Nigeria )}@ _:..\1 , wfp.arg •.
The African Development Bank and the Islamic Development
Bank.
~ Generally, reports from States indicated that progress is being
made and that the hope of attaining zero hunger was high.
~ The presentation from Ebonyi State was well received and
appreciated. Their follow-up steps and actions to the
Communique of the prevIous meeting in Borno State were
commended. Other States were encouraged to respond in similar
manner. Consequently, it was agreed that a unified template for
progress reporting should be developed by the NZHF Secretariat
and shared with States.
~ The proposal by Sokoto State to set up a technical comn1ittee on
the implementation of zero hunger was lauded. Other States
were encouraged to set up similar technical committees and
inform the NZHF Secretariat accordingly.
Secretariat International mailing address Headquarters 7 IITA. Grosvenor House. 125 High Street PMB 5320. Oyo Road, Idl-Oshe, Ibadan. Nigeria ~ Members of the Forum commended former President Obasanjo
for his initiative ofNZHF and his commitment to fighting
hunger in Africa. Similar commendation was given to the
Secretariat of the NZHF for backstopping the LoC and ensuring
that the meeting in Sokoto State was successful.
)
H.E. ChiefO~6anjo, Ph.D., GCFR Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman, Nig~ria Zero Hunger Forum
l-I.E. Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR Executive Governor, Sokoto State
22 November 2018
Secretariat tnternational mailing address Headquarters 8 IITA. Grosvenor House. 125 High Sireei P :IB SJ20. Oyo Road . Idi-Oshe. Ibadan. Nigeria