MASSIVE food insecurity has become a tragic phenomenon across the country ,especially in the last 10 years. This was why in the second month of his administration, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food insecurity in the country. Sadly, the declaration was brutally negated, and the situation progressively exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy by the President on his first day in office, causing the unprecedented escalation of the cost of transportation, food and other resources in the food value chain.
Despite some initiatives to mitigate the pervasive food insecurity since May 29, 2023, the situation seems not to abate; in fact, the syndrome has become more chronic with a huge number of citizens struggling daily to feed. As at 2023, a United Nations report estimated that some 25 million Nigerians were at the risk of food insecurity, or facing the sad reality of not being able to afford enough nutritious meal daily.
Almost two years after the gloomy projection, given the impact of the subsidy removal and the hydra-headed inflationary trend, the figure of those under the scourge of food insecurity would be nearing 50 million. The cost of food items in the country from crop produce to livestock products have risen by more than 200 per cent, making the items almost beyond the reach of consumers. It is a sad, frustrating and scary reality. Unarguably, there is hunger in the land, few moments away from a section of the masses being likened to people infested with “kwashiokored.”
Beyond citizens facing hunger, shortages in food production are similarly impacting industries relying on agriculture for the sourcing of their raw materials. On account of this huge gap, some factories have resorted to importation of raw materials, which contributes to high cost of production, and the consequential high price of products. Inevitably, this has compounded the challenge of food insecurity across the country.
Food insecurity in Nigeria as in other parts of Africa, is driven by a combination of natural and human factors. On the natural plane is the issue of climate change, which includes desertification, scorching sunshine and heat, inadequate rainfall in some regions, and flooding and its destructive effects. The key human variables include attacks by militant groups like Boko Haram in the North East, bandits in the North West and Fulani herdsmen who have been operating in the North Central and in the South East, South South and the South West, dislodging farmers from their land, thereby causing a huge decline in farming.
The violent activities of the above rebellious groups had led to the killing of thousands of farmers; violation of women on their farms; kidnap for ransom of farmers; destruction of farmlands; and stealing of livestock being reared by farmers. All of the above have significantly contributed to the sharp gaps in food supply and the worsening state of food insecurity.
Other factors, as well known, include but not limited to rural-urban migration of young farmers, lack of farm inputs, low level of mechanized farming, lack of motorable roads, water, electricity and inadequate credit facilities to boost agricultural productivity. A critical sector in the economy, farmers deserve adequate motivation for optimum performance as well.
Obviously, efforts to mitigate food shortages nationwide including Tinubu’s 2023 declaration of emergency on food insecurity appear to have not significantly improved supply of food. This may be the underpinning factor orchestrating the fresh declaration of national emergency on food security in April 2025 by President Tinubu.
Parts of the renewed policy include expanded irrigation infrastructure and participatory water resources management. According to him, the country has more than 3.1million hectares of irrigable land around key river basins, namely the Niger and Benue. From the above, it is obvious the thrust of the agenda is massive food production. We believe the policy would be able to capture the various river basins across the country, and the massive and fertile soil from the rain forest to the savannah.
But most importantly, eliminating the pervasive insecurity nationwide should be prioritized by government for any substantial progress to be made on the issue of food security. Therefore, we are of the strong opinion that the Tinubu administration should significantly beef up all arms of the nation’s security operations including the military in terms of manpower and equipment to decisively deal with the insurgency, militancy, banditry, herdsmen attacks and kidnapping that have worsened the crisis of food insecurity. Government attention should also target other factors impeding agricultural productivity.
