In an attempt to set up Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that would be put in place at the expiration of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on Water, the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) in water sector under the platform of Global Water Partnership (GWP) met in Abuja to exchange views on the nexus between food and water security being part of the proposed SDG.
Declaring the event open, tagged “National Consultation on Water and Food Security for Nigeria”, on Monday 15th June, 2015, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Musa Istifanus said that the International Community encouraged African countries to develop National Policies that could guarantee food and water security in the continent.
He said, “The final draft version of the report on food security and water by High Level Panel of Experts has provided opportunity for concerned countries and government to discuss pertinent issues bordering on water and food security. The objective is to create a cross sectoral dynamics for innovative implementation of optimizing linkages between food security and water”
In his remarks, the Chairman, Global Water Partnership Nigeria (GWP-N) Dr. Hassan Bdliya said that Global Water Partnership is an international network created in 1996 to foster the implementation of integrated water resources management as a means of promoting sustainable development.
“The Goal of GWP is to increase water security at all levels by balancing the needs of the society with available water resources. The network includes states government institutions (national, regional and local) intergovernmental organization, research institutions private sectors companies and service providers in the public sectors, ”he said.
Dr. Bdliya added that in Nigeria, GWP was established in December 2002 and it is the largest and international most endowed of the country partnership in West Africa.
“This National consultation, which is happening in conjunction with other national and regional consultations, is to obtain views on proposal from the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on the interconnections between food and water security”, he explained.
M.T. Ogundoro
AD Press, FMWR
