the alarm raised by the Food And Agriculture Organisation, FAO over fears that the target of zero hunger by the year 2030 was becoming unrealizable even as the statistics of Nigerians in the hunger bracket keeps increasing, is not being held lightly by different groups in the country. Perhaps some of the non-government organizations and private sector players are also encouraged by the declaration of the federal government of a state of emergency in the food sector.
One of such organisations is the FUND-YES Cooperative, which has launched a Food4All Initiative to eradicate hunger and ensure access to quality and affordable food at low cost. FUND-YES is a national grassroots movement of youth and women entrepreneurs dedicated to reducing unemployment, creating sustainable livelihoods and eradicating extreme and household poverty in Nigeria, using entrepreneurship as a viable tool.
Fund-Yes Cooperative is coordinated through a management committee co-chaired by Professor Pat Utomi, former presidential aspirant and founder of 40 miillion Ballots Movement and Ambassador Josephine Ojiambo, the Rotary International Representative to UNICEF, who served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations and Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations.
Kennedy Iyere, Chief Executive Officer of FUND-YES said the organization is a subsidiary of Youths Off The Street Initiative (YOTSI), a registered non-governmental organisation in Nigeria whose mandate is to turn unemployed youths to entrepreneurs and support youths to become resilient and successful business owners.
Pat Utomi while speaking at the launching stressed the need for Nigeria to attain food security. He said without achieving that goal, Nigeria’s efforts to build national security will be an effort in futility.
Dignitaries graced the launch in Lagos were Utomi; founder, Kennedy Iyere; Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwo (Mama G); Paul Obazele; Capt Evarest Nnaji (Odegene); Dr Orji Kanu Emmanuel, and Dr Emmanuel Mgbekwute, as speakers.