Mr Abdou Dieng, West and Central Africa Regional Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) has commended government for setting out a clear vision to improve agricultural productivity in the country whiles creating jobs.

Mr Dieng, who gave the commendation when he paid a courtesy call on the Northern Regional Minister in Tamale, mentioned the Planting for Food and Jobs and one-village-one-dam policies as being in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG2), which is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Prior to the meeting with the Regional Minister on Tuesday, Mr Dieng visited the Central Gonja District to observe child welfare clinic services, E-vouchers food redemptions and interacted with beneficiaries under the Local Food Based Approaches for Improved Nutrition project being implemented by the WFP at the Yapei Health Centre.

He also visited the Nahdah Islamic Junior High School in Tamale to observe E-vouchers food redemption by qualified girls under the Removing Barriers to Gender Equality programme and interacted with beneficiaries and school authorities.

Both initiatives help to reduce stunting and micronutrient deficiencies, as well as encourage regular school attendance by girls.

Mr Dieng said achieving SDG (2) was the priority of the WFP assuring that the WFP would continue to work with the government to ensure the success of its agricultural policies.

He touched on post-harvest losses, which had been the bane of agricultural production in the country saying the WFP would assist the government to address post-harvest losses to ensure food security.

Mr Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister commended WFP for complementing government’s efforts in addressing food security and nutrition issues in the country.

Mr Salifu said government’s policies were geared towards improving agricultural production to amongst others create jobs for the youth whiles ensuring food security.

He appealed to the WFP to build a sub-regional warehouse in Tamale to store foodstuffs to supply to other regions within and outside the country.