31.8Mn Nigerians Face Acute Food Insecurity Amidst Rising Prices
By Patience Ikpeme
More than 31.8 million Nigerians are currently battling with acute food insecurity, worsened by malnutrition among women and children.
This alarming statistic was revealed in the 2024 Cadre Harmonise report, which attributed the surge in food commodity prices to the removal of fuel subsidy and ongoing security challenges.
Development partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), GAIN, GIZ, and Agsys, made this disclosure during a joint review meeting on the implementation of food systems in Nigeria, held in conjunction with the federal ministry of budget and economic planning.
The stakeholders emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address food security, recognizing that tackling the challenges simultaneously is imperative. They advocated for the involvement of civil society organizations and the private sector to broaden the reach of nutrition efforts.
Despite the challenges, the development partners pledged their unwavering support to transform the food system in Nigeria.
Dr. Emeka Vitalis Obi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, while declaring the meeting open, highlighted its objective which was to discuss the implementation status of food systems transformation pathways in Nigeria.
He expressed gratitude to the development partners, particularly GIZ, for their dedication to advancing food systems in the country and emphasized the importance of their collective efforts in developing innovative solutions.
Dr. Sanjo Faniran, the National Convenor of Food Systems in Nigeria and Director of Social Development at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, welcomed the stakeholders and emphasized the importance of the review meeting in identifying gaps, successes, challenges, and offering recommendations.
