24 million Nigerians in food crisis — Report

About 24.7 million people including 14,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are in a food crisis or worse between March and May 2024, Cadre Harmonisé has said.

Cadre Harmonisé is a food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with technical partners including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The report further noted that about 31.5 million people including 83,846 IDPs in 26 states and the FCT are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024.

Furthermore, the revealed that about 1.1 million people in Adamawa State are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, and about 2.1 million people in Borno are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year, while 1.5 million people in Yobe are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year.

Further analysing the results for zones affected by food and nutrition insecurity, the report said “During the current period, food consumption was under Stress (Phase 2) in most of the states and Crisis (Phase 3) in some LGAs in Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, and Yobe, Zamfara States. Deteriorated food consumption situation was also observed among populations in the inaccessible areas and the IDPs in Adamawa, Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

“During the projected period (June to August 2024) more households are expected to face crisis levels of food consumption in the states. The deteriorating food consumption results from a significant spike in food prices due to high production and transportation costs caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and its resultant impact on inflation and consumer price index rates on both food and basic non-food items.

“In all the states analyzed, livelihood evolution was either under Stress (Phase 2) or Crisis (Phase 3). The Consequences of insecurity have led to the loss of livelihoods in Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Yobe states.

“Poor macroeconomic conditions are restricting access to agricultural inputs in the country. The high cost of transport, the inflation rate, and the volatile dollar-naira exchange rate have negatively affected households’ income. In the projected period (June to August 2024), poor microeconomic conditions and conflicts are expected to drive limited access to livelihood opportunities.

“The nutrition situation in the Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) and northwest states of Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara revealed the prevalence of malnutrition for Under-5 children to be in crisis in the current situation.

“In Adamawa State, the nutrition status is generally within the acceptable threshold
except in Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North, and Mubi South with stress levels. In Borno, Katsina, and Zamfara States all the LGAs are under Stress to Crisis levels for their nutritional status. Nonetheless, in Yobe State, LGAs with nutritional status in Crisis include Geidam, Nguru, Machina, Yunusari, and Yusufari.

“Although no epidemic occurred in the analyzed states during the period of analysis, issues relating to malnutrition and the high prevalent rate of diseases (malaria, diarrhea, and measles) remained a
challenge. However, information was unavallable to inform the situation on CDR and the U5MR in the analyzed 26 states and the FCT”.

The report said key drivers of the crisis include conflict and insecurity, fuel scarcity, naira devaluation currency crisis, and rising inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI) rates.

The Country Representative of the FAO to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Koffy Kouacou Dominique in his remarks during the presentation, said the main goal of the CH workshops is to analyse available food Security data.

Dominique who was represented by the Deputy FAO Country Representative, Suleiman Abubakar said the Cadre Harmonisé analysis produces the most reliable and widely acceptable data/results for humanitarian programming and food security.

He said the FAO will continue to support the Cadre Harmonisé process, both in terms of funding as well as
technical support and capacity building, across the country, as and when resources allow.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Temitope Fashedemi who was represented by the Director of Special Duties, Adedayo Modupe said the results of this cycle of CH analysis are coming at a time when government at all levels is leaving no stone unturned in reinvigorating the
nation’s economy.

He said the Government has put machinery in place to address the challenges to food and nutrition insecurity.

Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary said the removal of petroleum subsidies has further heightened pressure, resulting in food inflation and increase in consumer price index.

He assured the Ministry’s commitment to upholding and utilising the outcome and recommendations proffered at the workshop for the implementation of food and nutrition security interventions.

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