ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival to Promote Food Security, Poverty Alleviation, and Zero Tolerance for Hunger in 16 West African Countries
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Food and Cultural Festival is set to take place in Nigeria from October 6 to 11, 2024. The festival aims to promote food security, poverty alleviation, and zero tolerance for hunger in 16 ECOWAS countries.
The festival’s Director-General, Ambassador Felix Ihonre, made this announcement at the Preparatory Inter-Ministerial/Stakeholders Meeting on ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival in Abuja on Friday. According to Ihonre, the festival will bring together key players in food security and security structure to proffer solutions to security challenges that hinder farming and agricultural production in Nigeria and other West African countries.
Ihonre emphasized that Nigeria, as the host of the festival, stands to gain a lot of economic benefits. “Being the host alone, Nigerians are going to benefit from the festival. We are the host, we are the people that are to sell food for participants to eat. We are the people that are to give accommodations for participants to stay. Our drivers on the streets are there to carry passengers who will pay,” he said.
The festival will feature various activities, including a golf tournament, train carnival, Miss ECOWAS Beauty Pageant, and others. “We are having activities in the area of golf tournament. We will be having a flow train carnival and men and youth forum. We will be having a forum of local government chairmen, permanent secretaries of MDAs as well as directors. We will be having the Miss ECOWAS Beauty Pageant which is going to showcase ECOWAS beauty as well as their costumes. So, a lot of activities will take place in Uyo and there will be a lot of food and cuisines,” Ihonre added.
The theme of the festival, “Celebrating African Cultural Heritage for Peace and Development,” is apt, as Ihonre explained, “There can be no development in an atmosphere where the farmer does not have the opportunity to go to the farm. That is why we are happy today that the security network of the security agencies like police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will be there as they are here today as one of the galvanising teams to ensure that there is peace in Nigeria.”
In his remarks, Mr Oladunjoye Musiliu, the Director, International Organisations, Political Economy Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, urged the relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the festival.
The ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival aims to promote food security, poverty alleviation, and zero tolerance for hunger in 16 ECOWAS countries. The festival is set to take place in Nigeria from October 6 to 11, 2024, and promises to be a vibrant celebration of African culture, food, and development.
