SUMMARIZED VERSION

Early Warning System (EWS) on Food & Nutrition in Nigeria

February 27 - 28, 2018Immaculate Suites & Apartments, Abuja, Nigeria

PreambleThe workshop on Technical Validation of Comprehensive Road Map on Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) Early Warning System (EWS) was organized by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development (FMARD) with technical support from CILSS and FEWS NET. The workshop was held between February 27 and 28 2018 at Immaculate Suites and Apartments Hotel, Abuja.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Bukar Hassan, represented by Dr. Bright Watergire declared the workshop opened. Participants included high level technical ofcers of Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as development partners and Media house representatives. The main objective of the workshop was to ne-tune and validate a draft document on Food and Nutrition Security EWS detailing Road Map for setting up a robust Food and Nutrition Security Early Warning System (FNS - EWS).

Goodwill messages were delivered by the representatives of Permanent Interstate Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET), World Food Program (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS). The Technical Validation Workshop was organized into four sessions; the opening ceremony, the technical paper presentation, interactive syndicate group work sessions and a plenary during which outputs that reected proposed modications of the groups were presented, discussed and consensus established.

Workshop Proceedings and OutcomesThe draft document examines previous efforts and the roles of various institutions in data/information generation, collation, analysis and dissemination in the country. It also provides the status, inherent challenges of data/information collection, analysis and dissemination and way forward. Based on this analysis, a Road Map for establishing Food and Nutrition Early Warning System is then proposed.

The presentations were structured according to the outline of the draft document to be validated: lThe background, context, objectives and expected output from the workshop; lInstitutional Mechanisms, Tools and approaches to EWS in the Sahel and West

African Region; lExisting Institutional FNS Set ups (Coordination Mechanism and Policy

Framework); lExisting data collection and information Networks/Systems: challenges, gaps

and solutions. This included highlights of efforts of ECOWAS in developing ECOAGRIS Web Platform for Nigeria that domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

lIntegrated Food and Nutrition Security Analysis (challenges, gaps and solutions);

lProposed Roadmap for establishment of the Nigeria EWS.

Following extensively discussion of the presentations, participants were organized into four syndicate groups for in-depth review of the draft document. Two groups were assigned the same thematic areas which enabled broad perspectives to be captured. Group 1 – Covered the following thematic areas: a) EWS Governance Structure and Workow (with the aim to review the

Organogram) b) i. Institutional nesting of the National and State EWS Secretariat/

Coordination Unit ii. Mechanisms and Structures for coordination of networks and

partners in the EWS (federal and state level) c) EWS Sustainability and Funding

Group 2 – Reviewed and discussed the RoadMap and Action Plan (activities, timing, responsible ofce, partners involved (and possibly an indicative budget) Each of the four groups presented their inputs/suggestion for discussion at a plenary. Some of the key suggestions and comments proposed by the groups for improving the documents are outlined below:

Thematic Areas under Group 1: On the EWS Governance Structure, workow and institutional hosting: lThe governance structure proposed in the Draft EWS Roadmap was adopted

by the participants; lThe Local Government Area (LGA) Chairman and representative of Federal

Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) should be included at their various levels; lThe workshop agreed that the secretariat/ coordination unit should be hosted in

FMARD based on its technical capacity, expertise and mandate which covers much of EWS proposed action plan;

lThe National Steering Committee (NSC) of the EWS should be co-chaired by the FMARD, Federal Ministry of Health (FMH) and Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning(FMBNP) in rotation for a dened tenure to guarantee ownership. This should be replicated in the states;

lMembership of the EWS MSWG should include Department of Policy and Planning Coordination (P&PC), National Program on Food Security (NPFS), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), GEO-SPATIAL, Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnvt), National Population Commission (NPopC), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) etc.

On the sustainability and Funding for EWS:Participants noted that the main source of funding for the EWS should be centered on budgetary provisions by each of the Focal MDAs that constitute the system at both the national and state levels. It was also agreed that donor funds, philanthropic, corporate contributions and humanitarian sources should also form part of source of nancing the EWS in Nigeria. Participants were unanimous that Legislative backing for EWS is critical for its long-term sustainability and recommended drafting of enabling bills and conduct of necessary dialogues and advocacy to ensure its passage.

Communication and Visibility for EWS. lThe technical workshop also agreed that there is need to enhance the visibility

of the EWS and to promote the utilization of its outputs. It recommended among others, the development of EWS web portal, periodic publications such as newsletters and bulletins for disseminating of results and operations of the EWS in the country.

Strengthening Collaboration lGiven the diversity of stakeholders in the EWS, rotating the hosting of meetings

and workshops among stakeholders will serve to strengthen collaboration. Participants also recommended cost sharing and sponsorship personnel involved EWS by their respective MDAs/Departments both at national and state levels.

On Theme 2: Actions to Initiate and Operationalize the EWS in NigeriaThe group suggested the following initial steps leading to inception of the EWS

PROCEEDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP ON VALIDATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ROAD MAP ON FOOD AND

NUTRITION SECURITY EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN NIGERIA

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

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lThat the Honorable Minister of Agriculture (HMA) should constitute a team (including development partners) to conduct advocacy and sensitization visits to high level political ofce holders (Presidency, NASS, State Governors and Ministers, and development partners etc).

lThat NIHSA be included in the list of Associated Partners for the decision makers' workshop to endorse the EWS Roadmap.

lThat the HMA (FMARD) should initiate the process of consultation for the constitution and inauguration of the NSC

lThe HMA should commence development of EWS Secretariat within a Unit (NPFS) of the FMARD.

lThat the Permanent Secretary, Agriculture, assisted by the Director- NPFS, should request relevant MDAs/Depar tments/Development par tners to nominate appropriate technical staff (e.g. Nutrition, Fishery, etc.) that will serve on National Multi-Sector Working Group (NMSWG).

lThat members of NMWG when constituted, should conduct advocacy and sensitization visit to the States to facilitate the creation of state level EWS and State level multi-sector working Groups in various states of the country. That opportunities for capacity development for actors involved EWS that exist with the ECOWAS region, Africa and globally should be explored.

The group further afrmed as proposed that: lHarmonization of data collection tools/methodologies and data analysis

outputs remain a primed responsibility of NMWG and the various State MWGs. lStrategy for integrating surveys (Food security, Nutrition, Markets, etc) should

be considered as much as possible to minimize cost. lEWS of Nigeria should explore the resources and expertise of development

partners (especially of FAO and CILSS) to develop national capacity for the computation of national food balance sheet.

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