Farmers under the All Farmers Association of Nigeria have raised alarms about a potential hunger crisis looming across the country.
They are calling for urgent government intervention to address the situation and prevent widespread food shortages.
In a statement on Monday, the National President of AFAN, Kabir Ibrahim stated that food inflation and significant pressures on Nigeria’s agricultural system are driving hunger in the country.
He pointed to several critical challenges, including low mechanization, difficulty accessing credit, the lack of affordable and viable seeds, inadequate transportation, insecurity, and flooding.
Ibrahim warned that unless urgent and focused action is taken to address agriculture and agribusiness challenges, Nigeria could face devastating food shortages.
He said, “Various efforts such as the importation of some food items for a given period in defined quantities, support to smallholder farmers or small-scale producers and distribution of palliatives and agricultural inputs are works in progress.
“They should be implemented transparently and dispassionately for them to impact the food system by immediately bringing down prices,” he stated.
The AFAN president called for greater transparency and efficiency in the distribution of palliatives, the importation of essential food items, and support for smallholder farmers.
He emphasized that these efforts must be effectively managed to provide immediate relief to Nigerians facing food insecurity.
However, he cautioned that the typical seasonal drop in food prices during harvest may not occur in the present year as the flooding in 2024 had devastated many farms.
Ibrahim urged the government to enhance agribusiness practices by leveraging opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“The most probable respite can come by encouraging seamless agribusiness practices through AfCFTA and other available windows,” he remarked.
