ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve Management Committee Convene in Abuja to Strengthen Crisis Response Plans.

By Raymond Enoch

The Third Meeting of the Management Committee of the ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve has officially commenced in Abuja, Nigeria, on March 18 and ending March 19th 2025.

The two-day meeting serves as a critical platform to review and strategize the Reserve’s operations, ensuring that the region’s food security efforts remain effective and sustainable.

The central focus of the meeting is to present a comprehensive report detailing the operations carried out since the last gathering in March 2023 with key discussions centering around the approval of planned activities for 2025, as well as the validation of a resource mobilisation plan aimed at assisting ECOWAS Member States in addressing food, nutrition, and pastoral crises across the region.

Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary in Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security declared the meeting opened on behalf of the Minister, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

He emphasized that the meeting underscores the collective commitment of ECOWAS Member States to ensure long-term food and nutritional security for the region.

Representing the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé Touré-Litse, Mr. Mohamed Zongo, Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF), highlighted the importance of the meeting in evaluating the effectiveness of the Regional Food Security Reserve since its last operations report. He outlined that the session would focus on reviewing purchases, interventions, stock replenishments, technical rotations, and the identification of new storage areas to enhance future preparedness.

The outcomes of this meeting will play a pivotal role in strengthening the capacity of ECOWAS Member States to respond to emerging food crises and ensure regional stability through sustainable agricultural practices.