By AMB.Rekpene Bassey
Nigeria is facing a severe food crisis with millions of ordinary citizens struggling to have access to basic staples. Those in government may differ on this. But that is the stark reality and it borders on national food security concerns.
An available report from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has it that well over 148.7 million Nigerians are experiencing food insecurity, with some 24.8 million others suffering from acute hunger. This number may escalate in the coming months.
Presently well over 28 million Nigerians suffering from a severe hunger crisis cut across the 26 States of the federation, according to the UN World Food Programme projection.
A recent observation visit to a local market in Abuja revealed an alarming rise in the prices of basic food items like rice, beans, yams, garri, tomatoes, and pepper, among others.
Unfortunately, this is happening amidst the deteriorating purchasing power of the naira while the monthly minimum wage of the larger population remains abysmally poor.
At this rate, tomorrow looks quite opaque, and pretty much so, reflecting an impending monumental national catastrophe that may trigger malnutrition, adult /infant mortality, severe criminality, and other economic and socio-political challenges of unimaginable proportion.
Several factors account for this alarming situation. Foremost on the list is a lack of political will, and this borders on a leadership deficit for the most part. Tied to this is poor strategic agricultural planning. Another pressing cause is climate change resulting in environmental disasters. The other serious factors border on security issues such as communal clashes, terrorism, banditry kidnapping of farmers for ransom, and so on.
As the situation escalates, it becomes more worrisome that pervasive hunger may trigger increasing lawlessness making life brutally unsafe in both the hinterland and urban areas. It is against such background that the following urgent steps must be taken to address the current hunger and national food insecurity in the country.
In addressing this crisis, immediate steps must be taken to declare a national food security emergency and draw up an agricultural marshal plan in the country. Indeed we must invest more resources in sustainable agricultural practices including support for small-scale farmers among subsistence communities.
The government will do well to also prioritize social programs such as cash transfers and food assistance programmes for vulnerable populations in the country, especially those in the hinterland.
Official national agricultural policy reforms must address the root causes of insecurity, communal conflicts, climate change, and economic challenges affecting agriculture and food production.
Furthermore, the government must encourage more private sector participation and investment in agriculture to stimulate mechanised farming. Integral to this is the need to create appropriate infrastructure and a conducive atmosphere for more bilateral and multilateral participation in our agricultural activities in terms of expertise and resource sharing.
Another way to boost food production in the country is to encourage those in the rural areas to take ownership of food security initiatives by enabling or empowering them with the wherewithal to do so the through provision of basic incentives, infrastructure, and storage utilities. Put simply, everyone must be encouraged to have a farm or a garden at least.
The government must also invest massively in agricultural research and development to effectively tackle challenges associated with climate change, productivity, pests, and disease control resistance and storage.
At the heart of all of the aforesaid is the imperative of accountability and transparency. No meaningful innovations will be achieved in our national food security initiatives if progress cannot be tracked and managers of the resources held to account for their actions or inactions.
The time to summon the political will for purposeful action to avert the worsening national food security crisis is now. Because of the possibility of their debilitating social boomerang consequences, we can neither afford to politicise food security nor weaponise hunger for political consideration.
The future of our people and our nation depends on a solid national food security programme. But the present hunger in the land must be addressed urgently. Seriously.
African Council On Narcotics 