Food crisis to hit 19m Nigerians – Report

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

A report released by the Cadre Harmonise (CH), has revealed that over 19.4 million Nigerians including 416,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 21 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would experience severe food crisis between June and August this year.

The report also showed that about 14.4 million people including 385,000 IDPS in 21 States and FCT are currently experiencing food crisis or worse through May this year.

The CH is a unified tool for consensual analysis of acute food and nutrition insecurity, across 17 Sahel and West African States including Nigeria.

Its analysis was facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and other relevant stakeholders, covered 21 states to include; Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Lagos, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the FCT.

According to the report, key drivers and limiting factors that impact the food and nutrition security situation are insecurity, especially in the north east, inflation rate as evident on soaring food commodity prices, which could be associated with economic downturn, loss of employment and reduction in household income due to long term-effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

In his presentation, yesterday in Abuja, the Nigeria Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Fred Kafeero, said there was need for a holistic approach towards national food systems transformation which is essential for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

Kafeero, represented by Professor Salisu Mohammed, said the integration of CH outcomes in the national food systems transformation pathways would significantly contribute to the food systems transformation journey.

Mohammed called on the government to incorporate CH analysis results in national planning, including the designing and implementation of national food systems transformation action plans.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said the CH analysis became necessary to enable holistic analysis and understanding of the drivers and limiting factors to food and nutrition insecurity across the country.

He said, “we should also not forget the insecurity situation which has continued to threaten Nigeria’s food and nutrition security.

“Obviously, these changes have led to disruptions in food production and distribution systems, resulting in poor consumption patterns among several
households especially, in areas challenged by insecurity and disrupted livelihoods.”