How community farming is tackling Nigeria’s food crisis

By Chinenye Anuforo

In Mowe, Ogun State, the community of Abule-Ori is experiencing a quiet transformation right in their own backyards. Faced with the steep cost of food, families are now tending to small plots of land, learning how to cultivate crops like maize, beans, cucumbers and sweet potatoes without relying on expensive chemicals or commercial fertilizers.

For them, farming has become more than just a means of survival, t’s a pathway to empowerment. This shift is the result of the “Greenshare: Sharing Through Community Farming Project,” an initiative launched by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) in July 2025 with funding from Consumers International. The project brought 29 families together to learn eco-farming methods.

Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, CADEF’s executive director, explained the project’s purpose. “With food inflation at about 40% and general inflation at 27%, Nigerians are struggling. Greenshare is our answer, giving consumers the knowledge and skills to grow their own food. An informed consumer is an empowered consumer.”

The programme went far beyond basic planting. Participants were taught how to create organic fertilizer from food waste, use neem leaves as a natural pesticide, and apply sustainable spacing and planting techniques. Some have already enjoyed three cucumber harvests in just two months.

Innocent Emereonye, one of the group leaders, shared his experience, stating: “It’s not just about putting seeds in the ground. We were taught methods that made our plants thrive. I’m completely amazed by the results.”

Adejumo Ismaila, chairman of the Koli Area CDC, noted that the training has already reduced his household grocery costs. “I planted cucumbers right next to my house and was harvesting within weeks. I don’t have to buy them from the market anymore. This has a real impact.”

Greenshare’s significance, however, reaches far beyond Abule-Ori. It raises a crucial question: Could community farming be a scalable, national solution to Nigeria’s food crisis?

Nigeria has a long-standing struggle with food insecurity, worsened by inflation, climate events, and a heavy reliance on imports. While many government initiatives focus on large-scale agriculture, Greenshare highlights the potential of grassroots action, empowering small households with the tools to produce food affordably and sustainably.

Ndukwe-Okafor believes that such models could transform national food policy. “Imagine if communities across Nigeria adopted eco-farming. Food inflation would drop, families would be healthier, and we’d be less dependent on imported food. What we’re doing here can be replicated nationwide.”

Some families have already begun growing food in containers and small plots at home, proving that food production doesn’t require large farms. Experts suggest that with the right policies, community farming could complement commercial agriculture, boosting resilience and fighting hunger at the local level.

As the residents of Abule-Ori continue to harvest their crops, one thing is clear: Greenshare has planted more than just seeds; it has sown hope, knowledge, and self-reliance. In a country battling high food inflation, these may be the most valuable yields of all.