Tag: FOOD SECURITY

“Nigerians bothered about rising food prices, not budget” – Rewane

Aminu Imam

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has said that Nigerians are more concerned about the rising food prices and less bothered about the 2024 Budget. According to Rewane, many Nigerians are less interested in the details of the 2024 budget recently presented to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu but more worried that the rising food prices are making life difficult for them. Speaking during a television programme yesterday, the respected economist said, “In the end, budgetary arithmetic, budgetary mathematics in economics…

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Food Security: Wheat seeds arrive Nigeria ahead of dry season farming

Aminu Imam

Hybrid wheat seeds ordered by the PresidentTinubu-led administration have arrived at the Nigerian port in Lagos. Recall that the President declared a state of emergency on food security in the country and made agriculture and food security the number one priority of his ‘Renewed Hope’ administration.  Acting on this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security outlined the procedures and processes for the dry season wheat farming. The Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security were at the venue inspecting the imported seeds. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator…

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Food prices still surging amid FG’s stabilisation plan

Aminu Imam

Despite the declaration of a state of emergency on food security and the unveiling of immediate, short and long-term plans for agriculture in July, food prices are still rising at a faster pace in Nigeria. Recall that President Bola Tinubu have said his government’s stabilisation plan will deploy savings from petrol subsidy removal into the country’s food system to ramp up food production and halt surging food prices. However, three months later, prices are still surging and showing no signs of slowing, with food inflation hitting 30.64% in September. A…

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Terrorism, poorly regulated economy threat to food security – Expert

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

A Medical Imaging Scientist, Dr Livinus Abonyi, has identified terrorism and poorly regulated economy as major threats to the realisation of food security in the country. Abonyi said this on Monday in an interview in Lagos as the World Food Day (WFD) is celebrated globally. The theme of this year’s celebration is, “Water is life, Water is food. Leave no one behind.” The theme aims to highlight the critical role of water for life and water as the foundation of our food. Abonyi, a Lecturer at the Lagos State College…

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High food prices loom, USAID warns Nigeria, others

Aminu Imam

The United States Agency for International Development, (USAID) has warned Nigeria and other African countries to brace-up for higher food prices, following recent developments that have temporarily halted Ukraine’s food exports to African countries. USAID’s Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, Isobel Coleman, who stated this on Thursday at a virtual press conference, said Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative had already begun to trigger higher food prices around the world. According to her, the impact of this food price hike would be more felt in…

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25 million Nigerians to face food crisis by August 2023 – FAO

Aminu Imam

About 25.3 million people will face food insecurity across Nigeria between June and August 2023, according to the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation, (FAO). The FAO, in an issued statement, warned that if actions are not taken to avert the crisis, 4.4 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States will be affected. The UN food agency, in its October 2022 food and nutrition analysis said about 17 million people in the country were already facing a food crisis. These include internally-displaced persons, (IDPs) and returnees in 26…

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“Inflation better than hunger; Nigerians have enough food” – Agric Minister

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government has assured the citizens that the country had enough to eat and that there would be no shortage of food. The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, gave the assurance yesterday in Abuja, at the fifth edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s Scorecard 2015-2017 Series. The Scorecard Series was organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture to showcase the achievements of President Buhari’s Administration in over seven years of being in office. Responding to questions after his presentation, Abubakar said the inflationary…

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Flooding: 25 million Nigerians risk severe hunger in 2023 – Report

Aminu Imam

Stakeholders in the nation’s food and agriculture value chain have said that unless urgent steps are taken by the Federal Government, the massive destruction to farmlands by the recent floods may result in a severe hunger crisis in 2023. Aside from financial losses incurred by farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs, the destruction has been estimated to put 25.3million people across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in acute food crisis between June and August next year. This estimation is contained in the Cadre Hamonise report on the food security…

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Ukraine: Food crisis may worsen in Nigeria, as Russia pulls out of grain export deal 

Aminu Imam

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, has pulled out of a deal to allow the supply of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. This is coming three months after both the Ukrainian and Russian military delegations signed an agreement to allow Russia to export its grain and fertilisers. The deal, which also involved the United Nations (UN) and Turkey, was to re-start grain exports from Black Sea ports which have been blocked since Russia’s invasion, in a bid to ease the ravaging global food crisis; as it would enable Ukraine to…

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25 million Nigerians suffering from hunger – Nutritionist

Aminu Imam

At least 25 million Nigerians are suffering from hunger, according to the National Coordinator of the ‘Academic and Research Network for Scaling-up nutrition in Nigeria‘, (ARN-SUNN), Prof Kola Matthew Anigo. He said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, while delivering his Keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 52nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and scientific conference of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria. Speaking on the theme of the conference: “Bridging the Malnutrition Gap: Nutrition Multi-sectoral Commitments for Sustainable Nutrition in Nigeria”, Anigo lamented the prevalence of malnutrition in Nigeria.…

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