An investigative report by a non-governmental organisation, Cadre Harmonise, released on Friday has indicated that an estimated 31.5 million Nigerians may face acute hunger between June-August 2024 lean season in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Cadre Harmonise noted that the situation would be particularly severe in the northeastern states of Borno with 2.1 million people, Yobe State with 1.5 million and Adamawa State with 1.1 million people during this period.
Out of these figures, 83, 846 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are expected to be affected by the catastrophe.
This frightening issue was contained in the report released in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United (FAO) and other partners.
The latest data represents a significant increase of about 4.6 million from the 26.5 million earlier projected in November 2023 for the period.
The most recent data indicates a noteworthy rise of roughly 4.6 million above the 26.5 million previously estimated in November 2023 for the same period.
The research identifies several causes that contribute to the growing level of food insecurity, including the continuous wars and insecurity in the north-east, north-central, and northwest; shortages of fuel; the currency crisis caused by the depreciation of the naira; rising inflation; and the consumer price index.
The report also shows that the development poses dare nutrition implications for children under 5 years, especially in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and the northwest states of Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
The data was presented by Dominique Koffy Kouacou, the FAO Country Representative for ECOWAS and Nigeria.
Given the rising numbers, Kouacou stated that Nigeria is facing a critical time that calls for the double commitment of stakeholders to solve the concerns at hand.
Although Kouacou was represented by Assistant Representative for Programs Abubakar Sulaiman, he nevertheless assured the Nigerian government of the agency’s ongoing support for the initiative.
He described the data as credible, up-to-date and reliable information needed to support planning and decision-making processes.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Temitope Fashedemi, expressed enthusiasm for the significant findings of the report that could shape the nation’s approach to food security.
Fashedemi also highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing the identified issues that led to food inflation and increased the consumer price index.
The Permanent Secretary, who spoke through the Director of Special Duties, Adedaya Modupe, explained that human and environmental causes, including relocation brought on by insecurity and climate change, also contributed to the food challenges.
According to him, the ministry encourages additional cooperation to accomplish its goal of integrating all 36 states into the CH analysis process.
Fashedemi then promised that, putting the workshop’s conclusions and suggestions into practice, will be essential to putting food and nutrition security initiatives into action.
