Ensuring food security in Nigeria

By Daniel A. Olalere

FOOD is so essential to human existence that without it, the life of a human being is in serious danger. This is because a man who cannot get food to eat loses his source of strength and can only survive for a few days before he dies. Even when a man chooses to fast, he will break the fast with food. So, fasting is easy when food to break it is available. Food is life. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and healthy life. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in 2022, nearly 282 million people in Africa were undernourished, an increase of 57 million people since the COVID-19 pandemic. No wonder, many Nigerians are complaining of high cost and scarcity of food caused largely by removal of fuel subsidy mid-2023 and insecurity. Precisely, in the last ten years, the continent of Africa has been facing a food crisis of gargantuan proportion. The reason is that Africa produces just about 50% of the food needed to serve the current population of Africa which was 1,485,808,603 as of Thursday, March 28, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates. This means that the continent depends on importation of food to fill the gap. This situation is not good for her economy which is generally import-dependent. No wonder, malnutrition, hunger and unemploymentexist.

Comparatively, countries such as the United States of America and Russia produce enough food for their citizens and export the surplus to other countries. To proffer solutions to the lack of food security in Nigeria, a summary of the causes must be known and solutions will be suggested. One key cause of food insecurity is inadequate production of food. The way out is to produce enough food to serve the population. And the more the population, the more the need for production. The government must ensure that the basic infrastructural facilities needed such as transport system, water, power supply, storage facilities, etc, are provided. Another cause of food insecurity is lack of good support for farmers. Smallholder farmers today are not equipped and supported. The government and Non-Governmental Organisations can support small-scale farmers by providing loans or even supporting them with machines, seedlings and fertiliser. In this regard, the Bank of Agriculture in Nigeria should wake up to its duties of providing credit facilities to support massive production of food.

Interestingly, ensuring food security is not rocket science because the solutions are not far-fetched. For starters, the country has the natural, human and material resources to confront food insecurity and produce enough for the consumption of its ever-increasing population and even export to other nations. The land is fertile for crop production of potato, cassava, yam, plantain, cereals, beans and rice. Animal husbandry is also possible. In addition, there are universities and schools of agriculture with globally respected professors whose research works can help to solve food-related problems. Closely related to production is the need to build storage facilities to reduce food wastage. The percentage of food waste in Nigeria is about 37% whichis a product of lack of knowledge and poor mindset. To address this issue, building of storage facilities will help reduce food waste. These facilities help surplus harvests to be stored for future consumption, thus mitigating seasonal shortages.

Furthermore, the establishment of farm settlements can play a key role in enhancing food production and security. These settlements provide a community for farmers to cultivate crops and raise livestock, optimizing land use and agricultural resources. By promoting local food production, farm settlements reduce dependency on external sources, reduce food shortages and contribute to long-term sustainability. Climate change is one of the factors affecting food security in our society. Farmers should be educated about the changing weather and have the understanding of switching to crops that suit each season. The practice of irrigation during the dry season can also add to food production. Addressing other causes of food insecurity such as poverty, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation and socio-political instability is crucial. By preventing insurgency, kidnapping and providing the peaceful and enabling environment for agriculture to thrive, food security can be assured.

It is noteworthy that agriculture is not a popular course of study among teens in Nigeria, a country with a population of over 200 million people. Agriculture is seen as a tedious and dirty work, with virtually no societal recognition given to farmers. There is the need to educate teenagers and youths on the importance of modern 21st century agriculture with technology.

There is the need for governments to support farmers by way of soft loans and provision of enabling peaceful environment. Agriculture students can be given scholarships to draw more students who will choose agriculture as a profession. If young people study and practise agriculture, the production of more food can be guaranteed. Similarly, Nigerians who are farmers must enjoy continuous education on improved crop varieties and new methods that will give more yields.

Moreover, young people and teenagers should be encouraged to leverage their digital abilities and creativity to develop innovative solutions to tackle specific challenges faced by farmers. For example, the development of mobile applications can provide real-time market information and weather forecasts to enable farmers to make better decisions. Overall, the integration of technology into food distribution systems holds a great promise to addresschallenges of food security.

In conclusion, investing in skills development helps people learn better ways to grow food. This means they can produce more food, even with limited resources like land and water. Each house owner should be encouraged to have a garden, no matter how small. When people know how to produce and store more food, they can contribute to ensuring that there is enough to eat for everyone, making food security better in the Nigerian society.