Shettima: Nigeria deploying AI, satellites to tackle food crisis

Kashim Shettima, Vice-President of Nigeria, says the country is deploying modern technology—including artificial intelligence, geospatial analytics and satellite-based climate tools—to transform agriculture and tackle hunger.

Shettima spoke on Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), where African leaders made a strong call for coordinated global action on food insecurity.

“Food insecurity is no longer a shadow lurking in distant lands. It is a shared affliction,” he said.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution has not only disrupted the old order but gifted us instruments that were once confined to imagination. Artificial intelligence, geospatial analytics and satellite-driven climate intelligence are now part of our agricultural vocabulary.

“We are deploying these tools to monitor production, enhance transparency, connect producers to markets and reduce waste across the value chain.”

He noted that Nigeria is not relying on rhetoric alone, citing the National Food Systems Transformation Pathway, investments in agro-industrial zones, and the Presidential Initiative on Food Security.

“We’re not just sounding the alarm,” Shettima stated.

“We’re scaling the cultivation of staple crops like maize, rice, cassava, and wheat, and backing them with climate-smart innovations and financial inclusion for farmers—especially women and youth.”

He also highlighted ongoing institutional reforms and strategic partnerships with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Shettima described the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones as engines for rural transformation and improved market access.

“A broken food system in any part of the world diminishes humanity,” he said.

“Let us rise with shared purpose and build a world where no child goes to bed hungry and food is a right, not a luxury.”

Speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, the vice-president expressed appreciation to Ethiopia and Italy for co-hosting the summit, adding that Nigeria remains committed to listening, learning, and leading on food system reforms.

Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, also addressed the summit. He called for concessional financing to help African countries invest in agriculture, literacy, and rural infrastructure.

Ahmed said Ethiopia is pursuing a holistic development model focused on cutting down food imports and building resilient systems rooted in dignity.

In a recorded message, António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, warned that global hunger is on the rise. He stressed the need for food systems that are inclusive, just, and climate-responsive.

Guterres added that inequality and climate change continue to undermine global supply chains and rural livelihoods.

Other speakers included Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, and William Ruto, President of Kenya, alongside representatives of multilateral organisations.

The UNFSS+4 serves as a checkpoint following the inaugural 2021 summit, offering a platform to assess progress and renew global commitment to ending hunger through equitable and innovative food systems.