Janet Ogundepo
As the world commemorates World Food Day 2025, the Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative has called for collective action among governments, the private sector, civil society, and consumers to ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable foods for all Nigerians.
The founder and President of CAFSANI, Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday to mark this year’s event themed “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, World Food Day 2025 is observed globally every October 16 to promote awareness and action for food security and sustainable nutrition.
The FAO says this year’s theme calls for “global collaboration in creating a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future.”
It emphasised the need for collaboration across governments, organisations, sectors, and communities, to “transform agrifood systems and ensure everyone has access to a healthy diet and living in harmony with the planet.”
Speaking further, the CAFSANI president stated that, despite progress in agriculture and food fortification, millions of Nigerians still suffer from hunger, malnutrition, and the effects of unsafe or poor-quality food.
He noted that rising food prices, limited dietary diversity, and environmental pressures continue to threaten the country’s ability to provide adequate nutrition for its citizens.
Ogunmoyela noted, “In Nigeria, food and nutrition insecurity remain among the most pressing development challenges. Despite progress in agricultural productivity and food fortification initiatives, millions of Nigerians still face hunger, malnutrition, and the effects of unsafe or poor-quality foods. Rising food prices, limited dietary diversity, and environmental pressures further threaten the country’s ability to ensure adequate nutrition for all.”
The Chairman of the World Food Safety Day Planning Committee further asserted that nutritious and safe foods were important to driving productivity and national development.
“Better foods are central to building a better future. Nutritious and safe foods not only improve health and well-being but also drive productivity, educational attainment, and national development,” Ogunmoyela said.
The Professor of Food Science and Technology at Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, stressed the need for all stakeholders, from farmers and processors, regulators and consumers, to work together in strengthening food safety standards, advancing fortification programmes, promoting transparent labelling, and ensuring sustainability across the food chain.
The food safety advocate reaffirmed CAFSANI’s commitment to empowering consumers and promoting accountability in Nigeria’s food system through advocacy, research, and policy engagement.
“CAFSANI remains committed to empowering consumers and promoting accountability within Nigeria’s food system. The organisation continues to advocate for policies that guarantee food safety, support fortification as a proven tool to address micronutrient deficiencies and encourage responsible production practices that protect both people and the planet,” he said.
Ogunmoyela urged Nigerians to make informed food choices, support local producers, reduce food waste, and hold manufacturers accountable for food quality.
“By working hand in hand, Nigeria can build food systems that are safer, more inclusive and nutrition-sensitive, ensuring that every meal contributes to better foods and a better future for all,” he added.
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