Agency Report
The United Nations has again predicted that 82 million Nigerians, about 64 percent of the country’s population, could face hunger by 2030, and has called on the government to address climate change, pests and other threats to agricultural productivity.
The prediction comes in the wake of a persistent rise in food prices in the country.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s food inflation rate hit an all-time high of 40.66 percent in May 2024, surpassing the previous month’s increase of 40.53.
This increase represents the largest year-on-year rise in food prices since records began in 1996.
Historically, food inflation in Nigeria has averaged 13.42 percent, with the lowest point of -17.50 percent in January 2000.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has predicted that by 2023, no fewer than 2.6 million Nigerians in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara states and the Federal Capital Territory could face a food crisis between June and August 2024.
According to an analysis by the government-led Cadre Harmonisé released in March 2024, an estimated 4.8 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states are facing severe food insecurity, the highest level in seven years.
Also, as Nigerian workers marked May Day 2024, the Organized Labour Movement expressed concern over rising food prices and fuel shortages in the country, saying the current situation threatened the survival of workers.
Olisa Agbakoba, a prominent Nigerian rights advocate, also recently warned that a hunger riot could soon break out in Nigeria and called on the federal government to act quickly.
Speaking at the recent launch of CropWatch in Abuja, the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, represented by one of the UN officials, Taofiq Braimoh, said: “The Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with others, conducts an annual food security survey. This year’s results are alarming: an estimated 22 million Nigerians will face food insecurity in 2023, and 80-82 million are at risk of severe food insecurity by 2030.
“Nigeria, like many countries, faces food insecurity, climate change, unreliable water supply patterns, pests and other threats to agricultural productivity. As an agrarian society, the success of our farms directly impacts the availability of food for our population. Leveraging technology is crucial to strengthening our agricultural sector and ensuring food security.”
He stressed that satellite-based crop monitoring provides real-time data on crop conditions, enabling farmers and policy makers to make informed decisions and optimize agricultural practices.
He noted that technology could help accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals in food and agriculture.
‘Climate change increases hunger rates’
Tobi Awolope, an agricultural economist at the Centre for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, attributed the high hunger rate in Nigeria to climate change, which has severely affected smallholder farmers, the main players in food production.
Awolope, who spoke to PUNCH news agency on Friday, said these farmers had low adaptive capacity to cope with the effects of climate change, such as irregular rainfall patterns and lack of irrigation.
“Climate change has reversed progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2, which aim to eradicate poverty and hunger. Smallholder farmers are struggling to adapt to climate change, leading to decreased food availability and higher prices,” he said.
He stressed the need for the Government to support farmers, including by subsidizing production inputs and providing irrigation technology and assistance.
“Farmers cannot mitigate the effects of climate change alone. The government must step in and support them to ensure food security,” he said.
Awolope also stressed the importance of using research recommendations to inform policy decisions, saying: “This is not the time to put research findings on the back burner. We need to use these recommendations to make informed decisions that support our farmers and ensure food availability.”
Transforming agriculture with science and technology – Expert
Meanwhile, Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr. Adepoju Mathew, stressed the importance of science, technology and innovation in advancing agricultural development and food security.
The world’s population is expected to reach 9.5 billion people by 2050, and food production will need to increase by 70 percent to meet this demand.
“Space science, technology and innovation play a crucial role in transforming agriculture and improving food security,” he added.
UN report reflects real situation– Farmers
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the National Secretary of the Nigerian Farmers Association, Dr. Yinusu Alidu, said the UN report should be taken seriously, noting that it reflects the real situation in the country.
He said: “What the UN said is trending right now, because it reflects the real situation in the country. It is not magic; the UN is just collecting reports and talking about the current situation. They are using global warming, climate change, insecurity and other factors to make the report. People like us on the ground already know that the UN report is becoming real.
“It is July and there is still not enough rain. Weather experts have predicted that there will be a drought. They predicted that there will be a short period of rain and that there may be no rain after August. They advised farmers to plant crops that yield and mature quickly. Otherwise, the crops will be stunted and will not yield well. If people use conventional planting methods, their farms will be affected by drought.”
Alidu urged the government to act on the report to prevent a food crisis.
He said: “It is the responsibility of the government to prevent a food crisis. The government should encourage agricultural irrigation systems. The government needs to build dams and channel wastewater for agricultural purposes. A lot of water is being wasted. This is the right time for the government to take off-season farming seriously. Seventy percent of the crops grown in Nigeria are planted using direct rainfall; few people use irrigation systems. The government has a responsibility to make farming easier for farmers. It should support the irrigation system.
“I don’t know why the government is taking such a nonchalant attitude towards agriculture. Maybe they think they have money to buy whatever they want, no matter the price, because they have money. What about the average Nigerian? I would just advise farmers to be smart and quick in farming.”
‘UN report reflects government failure’
The Chairman of South West Integrated Agricultural Services, Mr. Adeyemi Adejare, described the UN report as an indicator of the government’s failures in supporting agriculture and farmers.
Adejare said Nigeria was already experiencing food shortages and only aggressive agriculture could help the country emerge from the crisis.
He said: “The only way to avoid the UN prediction is to engage in aggressive agriculture and get genuine support from the government. Nigeria is already facing food insecurity, so we cannot bypass what the UN said. It is an indicator of the government’s failure to support agriculture.
“Food industries and our agricultural system must reach a sustainable level to avoid the forecast, and that requires a holistic approach. We need to discard the old systems of cultivation, storage and processing. Government at all levels must be truly committed to promoting agriculture.
“The government should empower farmers and encourage mechanized farming for youth. The government should also provide soft loans and subsidize farming tools for genuine farmers.”
Adejare said the UN report was correct and added that the nation must take proactive steps to end food insecurity.
He said: “The UN report is correct. Currently, Nigeria will need 30 uninterrupted growing and harvesting seasons to achieve food security, given the shortages we already have.
“The government has not been fair to the farmers. Farmers in the north enjoy few benefits from the government, but the governors in the southwest are not helping the farmers at all. The governors have not been helpful; they have been paying lip service to promoting agriculture.”
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