Photo credit: Onilogbo Omobolanle/IFPRI
On October 31, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) unveiled the Food Security Simulator-Nigeria (FSSN) as part of the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS). This significant event saw the participation of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation FMHAPA, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), alongside various key partners and national stakeholders.
The Food Security Simulator, a product of IFPRI, developed under the CGIAR Research Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS), has received valuable contributions during the tool's validation process from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), FMAFS, FMHAPA, and other partners in Nigeria. The FSSN is an innovative, user-friendly tool based on MS-Excel. It serves to assess the potential short-term impacts of food price or household income shocks on food security and people's dietary habits. It is an ideal tool for conducting preliminary, forward-looking assessments of the direct outcomes of economic crises and policy responses in a prompt manner.
Hyacinth Edeh, Country Program Manager at IFPRI-Nigeria, opened the event, after which Kwaw Andam, IFPRI-Nigeria Country Program Leader and NPS Nigeria Initiative Lead, presented an overview of NPS work in Nigeria. Olivier Ecker, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI-HQ, presented and demonstrated the FSSN. Olivier explained, "The tool enables you to seamlessly delve into the potential impacts of food price and household income shocks on food consumption and people's diets. This can be used to inform decision-making and policy formulation." He also highlighted how recent global crises, such as Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, have affected food security in Nigeria and worldwide. Policymakers can utilize the FSSN to shape policies for swift action.
The presentation and demonstration of the FSSN sparked significant interest and inquiries from the participants regarding its functionality, limitations, and potential integration into various departments within the Ministries and down to the state level. Olivier provided comprehensive responses to the various questions raised by the audience, underlining IFPRI's openness to collaborations with other ministries and partners. He also announced plans to initiate training for key users and trainers who can then offer stepdown training to others. Representatives from the different ministries and civil society organizations expressed their appreciation for the tool.
IFPRI and the Initiative team collaborate closely with the Nigerian government and other partners at local, national, and regional levels. The goal is to generate evidence for effective policies and programs, both before and after crises and shocks. The Initiative team comprises experienced researchers from various CGIAR institutions working on National Policies and Strategies (NPS). NPS strives to enhance the lives of millions by identifying ways to develop stronger, more coherent policies and strategies, enabling countries to address current policy demands and future development needs.
View the launch event page here.
