Food Security in Nigeria

Due to high cost of transportation and insecurity in farming communities, locally produced foods have become very expensive. While it is difficult for ordinary Nigerians to change government policies responsible for increased transportation cost, it is possible to adopt new techniques capable of boosting agricultural activities in both urban and rural areas of the country. 

In the past, Nigerians depended heavily on rivers and lakes for fish but today there are tens of thousand of fish ponds producing cat fish and other fish species for the Nigerian populace. The success of the cat fish pond experiment should be a model for transiting from cultivating large acres of lands in rural communities that are plagued by bandits and conflicts to food crops cultivation in urban centers. Yam, potato, tomato, pepper, okra, beans, pineapple, and leafy vegetables are some examples of crops that can be cultivated in towns and cities where there are little or no arable lands.

Agriculture has been a major employer of  labor for vast majority of Nigerians, especially in northern Nigeria where people  rely heavily on traditional methods of farming that limit productivity. This is further complicated by negative effects of climate change stemming from unpredictable weather conditions, floods, and droughts Many farmers in norther Nigeria abandoned their farmlands while fleeing their communities due to insecurity posed by Boko Haram insurgency. Crops cultivation in the North Central, South West, and South South are threatened by cattle-grazing, leading to farmer-herder clashes. Cattle rustling in northwestern states like Zamfara has become a major challenge. Environmental degradation in the forms of deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification are also affecting food production in northern Nigeria.

It is estimated that Nigeria losses 30 to 40 percent of its annual crops produce due to poor transportation and inadequate storage facilities. Bad roads, underdeveloped supply chain, and poverty amongst farmer workers are limiting agricultural outputs and driving up prices of food items in a country grappling with how to feed its rapidly increasing population. 

Nigeria depends heavily on food importation hence it is adversely affected by the Russia-Ukraine war and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 2023 data revealed that 25 million Nigerians were impacted by food insecurity. Majority of the people affected were in the northeast region of Nigeria where there is a large population of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons).

Recently, there the security situation in the northeast region has improved tremendously and government is relocating people back to their communities. Large expanse of farmlands have been re-cultivated by resettled IDPs, many of whom abandoned their communities fifteen years ago.

Agricultural modernization, infrastructure investment, economic reforms, policy enhancement, and conflict resolution are key solutions and recommendations to tackle food insecurity in Nigeria.