A report by stakeholders in food security has projected that about 4.8 million Nigerians may suffer critical food insecurity situations in 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) next year.
The report titled: Cadre Harmonise which is used to identify risk areas and vulnerable populations in sixteen states and Federal Capital Territory, projected that between October and December 2017, about 3.1 million people will face food crisis.
According to the report “the 16 states and FCT were affected by various hazards and vulnerability, especially insurgency, flood, windstorm, dry spell, early cessation rainfall, invasion of predators (fall army Worm, locust, pest and insects), communal conflicts etc. these had impacted negatively on the food and nutrition security as well as livelihood.
“Staplefood and cash crops production during the 2017/2018 growing season is above five-year average levels across most of the states. Exceptions are conflict prone areas of northeast, including Born, Yobe and Adamawa states”.
Analysing the report during a stakeholder meeting in Abuja, the Foodand Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative, Sufyyan Koroma, said it was necessary to provide reliable data on food security status in 16 states and FCT.
Koroma, who was represented by Patrick David of the FAO, called on the Nigerian government to strengthen and institutionalise the collection of data on food and nutrition in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Bukar Hassan, stated that the report will assist government to take the necessary steps to address foodcrisis and emergency situation in the country.
The report further added that “Food availability in most states is expected to decline normally towards the lean season (June-August 2018), although the impact may tamper with dry season farming activities. However, insurgency continues to have negative impact on food production in the most affected areas of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
“Elevated food prices traversed across the 16 states and FCT with increase ranging from 30 to 170 per cent. Cereal prices increased by 60 to 200 per cent in September 2017 relative to the five-year average, and by 10 to 50 per cent when compared to the same time last year.
“Similarly, legume and tuber price were also above the 2016 and five- year average by 36 and 87 per cent, respectively. Household stocks in most of these states will last at least three months. However, high food price will constrain foodaccess for most households in the three worst conflict affected states (Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
“Food availability and access tofood will be stable considering favorable growing season and potential for dry season activities across the states, except in the northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
The states affected by foodand nutrition insecurity are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the FCT.
The report was put together by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) and other donor agencies.
and then