Communique issued at the end of the Zero Hunger Forum Sokoto, 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, ,

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, ,

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 , Rt. Hon.

Francis Ogbono Nwifure. The Commissioner for

Agriculture, Hon. Terkimbi Nyakuma represented the Governor of

Benue State; while the Special Adviser to the Governor of

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. , and former Governor of ,

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