Food crisis in Nigeria: Matters arising

Our nation is at a critical juncture where the impact of economic crises, global challenges, tumbling currency, insecurity, and climate change is affecting the ability of many citizens to feed themselves. The figures are striking. As of March 2024, the food inflation rate increased by 40.01 percent, which is about 15.56 percent higher than the March 2023 rate. With the complexity and interdependence of the factors responsible for the current food crisis, our approach to addressing them must go beyond the conventional means. We need a more agile approach to address the current food crises. An approach that can quickly adapt to our changing circumstances and effectively address the complex factors contributing to the crises. For this approach to be viable, it has to be rooted in three pivotal elements.

First, this approach must be holistic enough to consider the challenges in every phase of our food system and account for their current realities. This means that our approach must tackle the root causes of issues in our production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal, as well as ensure smooth, supportive, and equitable coordination. Issues of insecurity, such as kidnapping and farmer-herder clashes, especially in rural communities, are some of the major factors that have caused many farmers to abandon their farms and led to reduced food production. This approach has to do everything to guarantee the safety of our farmers. The recent setting up of “Agro Marshals” tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding farmlands, schools, and palaces in Ekiti State is a commendable step that should be embraced by other states. It must be emphasised that state or local government administrations will do a better job in this regard, as each community possesses peculiar local situations that can be best understood by its people.

In addition, federal or state administrations can complement these efforts by harnessing the opportunities in technological advancement and providing “emergency alarms or phones” for farmers. These devices can be used to alert local security outfits immediately in case of insecurity. In implementing this, the government must ensure proper coordination with different security outfits and equitable distribution.

The impact of climate change on our food production is becoming evident, with increasing cases of droughts, flooding, and soil degradation in different parts of the country. It is time to face this reality and begin to prioritise climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Many of the current agricultural institutes were established because of challenges facing the agricultural systems at some point in the past. Some of these challenges are now outdated. It is time to update the mandates of agricultural institutes and institutions (or create new ones) to reflect today’s challenges.

The impact of fuel subsidy removal on the distribution and prices of food cannot be overstated. Embracing an agile approach might mean setting up special channels for food transport across the country. Similar approaches have been carried out in some developed countries and tagged with names such as “Green Channel.” This might involve providing access to special buses and trains that can assist farmers in moving their food items in groups at subsidised costs.

Read also: More than 1 million Nigerians hit by severe food crisis in 2024 – World Bank

Second, this approach must involve multidisciplinary collaboration in tackling the different challenges facing our food system. Leaving the task of addressing our current food insecurity solely to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is like trying to build a house with just brick. While bricks are essential, a single material is not enough to complete the project. Similarly, addressing our current food insecurity challenges demands effective collaboration and input from almost all ministries, agencies, and parastatals. By utilising a stakeholder engagement model, each ministry can develop plans to support the Ministry of Agriculture. Further, each state must develop a food system plan that details its mechanism for food production, distribution, export, interventions, and regulation. This food system plan must include short, medium, and long-term priority actions for a sustainable food system in each state. Private sectors, trade associations, civil society organisations, and every stakeholder in the value chain also have roles to play in this collaboration.

Finally, for this approach to be effective and sustainable, it must be rooted in a commitment to the right of every Nigerian to adequate, healthy, and affordable food, regardless of their socio-economic status. The right to adequate food is an agreement contained in many international instruments and even in the constitution of our country. Article 16(2) of our 1999 constitution rightly states that “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, a reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits, and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.”

This provision does not mandate the government to knock on every door of its citizens and share food items (except, of course, in unfortunate situations of war). However, it requires that the government must do everything in its capacity to ensure its citizens have the enabling environment and support to produce, distribute, and access food. It means we must create a food system where profit does not take precedence over empathy and the right of fellow citizens to food. The ripple effect of hoarding and hiking food prices, if allowed to continue, will take its toll on everyone. Food is a necessity and right, and depriving people of this right is also depriving them of the right to live. Our state actors also have a significant role to play in protecting this right through consumer protection actions.

An agile-based approach to our current food insecurity can also be a means to reduce social inequalities in our communities. A common adage among our people says that “if hunger is removed from poverty, then poverty becomes insignificant.” If policymakers continue to look at food insecurity from an agile-based perspective, we can solve many problems, including poverty and insecurity, with one stone and be able to respond to newer problems. We can come up with more holistic solutions that can renew the hope of our people. We can use our current food crises as a catalyst for the radical transformation of our food systems to a more sustainable, effective system that can address current and future food insecurity and other interrelated issues.

Òrúnbon, a public affairs analyst, writes in from Epe, Lagos State. Can be reached via; [email protected] or ‪08034493944‬ and ‪08029301122‬.