The Federal Government has raised concerns about the increasing food insecurity in the country, revealing that approximately 161 million Nigerians are now experiencing unreliable access to food. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to prevent an impending crisis in both food and nutrition.
This information was disclosed in Abuja on Friday by Alhaji Nuhu Kilishi, who serves as the Director of the Nutrition and Food Safety Department at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. The announcement took place during a consultative session with stakeholders aimed at developing a Food and Nutrition Security Crisis Preparedness Plan (FNSCPP).
This initiative originates from the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, a state-led program funded by the World Bank. It aims to tackle malnutrition by broadening access to affordable nutrition services for vulnerable populations.
Kilishi reports that the food insecurity situation has significantly worsened, with moderate to severe cases increasing from 35 percent in 2014 to approximately 74 percent in recent years.
"Only 20 percent of Nigerians are currently food secure, ensuring they have certainty about their next meal," he stated, attributing this alarming statistic to the ongoing insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions.
Kilishi observed that rampant violence, such as banditry and kidnapping, had deterred farming activities and reduced the amount of cultivated land across the nation.
He added that inflation and increasing costs of food inputs and commodities have made it challenging for households to afford healthy diets.
He characterized the present food and nutrition situation as particularly dire in conflict-affected regions. Nevertheless, he highlighted various government-led strategies designed to alleviate the issue.
He stated, "This includes distributing seeds and inputs to encourage homestead gardening in all 774 Local Government Areas. We have obtained World Bank funding to execute this plan in 21 states, with the remaining 15 states receiving support from federal resources."
Dr. Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, a Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, also addressed attendees at the event. She noted that the ANRiN programme, initiated in 2018, had progressed to its second phase.
She stated that with the availability of additional crisis response window financing, the current goal is to reinforce Nigeria's systems to avert future food and nutrition crises.
She added that the current phase of the plan emphasizes preventive measures and strengthening resilience, instead of merely reacting to emergencies.
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