ibironkeeniola Senior Programme Officer Nutrition, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Victor Ajieroh, has harped on the crucial role of the private sector in reshaping the food system.
Dr Ajieroh, in a lecture entitled, ‘The Future of Food Systems,’ and delivered at the 2019 Post-Annual General Meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria (ICCN) in Lagos recently, noted the future of food systems in Nigeria depends on the government and private sectors’ collaboration.
He stressed that the risk that poor diets pose to mortality and morbidity is greater than the combined risks of unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco, while inadequate food consumption is the common denominator in all forms of malnutrition.
According to him, value and power in food systems is shifting to the middle value chains, while large agribusinesses, manufacturers and retailers are playing a growing role.
Businesses, he said, do not only impact on food systems but also plays a key role in reshaping it by ensuring food quality and safety, production availability, storage and distribution, processing and packaging, retail and markets, promotion, advertising and information, economic access or affordability and availability, as well as physical access.