Juwonlo Dahunsi
The current food crises in Nigeria and many other countries of the world have been attributed to several causes. Top of the causes are global and national economic crises, tumbling currency, insecurity, the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate change.
As of March 2024, the food inflation rate in Nigeria increased by 40.01 percent, which is about 15.56 percent higher than the March 2023 rate. Despite the Nigerian government’s efforts to alleviate food insecurity through different interventions, ordinary households continue to grapple with the relentless rise in food and commodity prices. With the interdependence of the current food crises’ causes, a modulation of our approach to food insecurity might be needed. We need an approach that can quickly adapt to our changing circumstances and effectively address the complex factors contributing to the crises. For this approach to be viable, it has to be rooted in three pivotal elements.
First, this approach must be holistic enough to consider the challenges in every phase of our food system and account for their current realities. This means that our approach must tackle the root causes of issues in our production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal and ensure smooth, supportive, equitable coordination. Insecurity issues, such as kidnapping in rural communities, are some of the major factors that have caused many farmers to abandon their farms, leading to reduced food production.
We need to guarantee the safety of our farmers. The recent setting up of “Agro Marshals” tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding farmlands, schools, and palaces in Ekiti State is a commendable step that should be embraced by other states. It must be emphasised that state or local government administrations will do a better job in this regard, as each community possesses peculiar local situations that can be best understood by its own people.
In addition, federal or state administrations can complement these efforts by harnessing the opportunities in technological advancement by providing “emergency alarms or phones” for farmers. These devices can be used to alert local security outfits immediately in case of insecurity. In implementing this, the government must ensure proper coordination with different security outfits and equitable distribution.
The impact of climate change on our food production is becoming evident, with increasing cases of droughts, flooding, and soil degradation in different parts of the country. It is time to face this reality and begin to prioritise climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
Many of the current agricultural institutes were established because of challenges facing the agricultural systems at some point in the past. Some of these challenges are now antiquated. It is time to update the mandates of agricultural institutes and institutions (or create new ones) to reflect today’s challenges.
The impact of fuel subsidy removal on the distribution and prices of food cannot be overstated. Embracing an agile approach might mean setting up special channels for food transport across the country. Similar approaches have been carried out in some developed countries and tagged with names such as “Green Channel.” This might involve providing access to special buses and trains that can assist farmers in moving their food items in groups at subsidised costs.
Second, this approach must involve multidisciplinary collaboration in tackling the different challenges facing our food systems. Leaving the task of addressing our current food insecurity solely to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is like trying to build a house with only bricks. While bricks are essential, a single material is insufficient to complete the project. Similarly, addressing our current food security challenges demand effective collaboration and input from almost all ministries, agencies, and parastatals. Each ministry can develop plans to support the Ministry of Agriculture by utilising a stakeholder engagement model.
Further, each state must develop a food system plan that details its mechanism for food production, distribution, export, interventions, and regulation. This food system plan must include short, medium, and long-term priority actions for a sustainable food system in each state. Private sectors, trade associations, civil society organisations, and every stakeholder in the value chain also have roles to play in this collaboration.
Third, for this approach to be effective and sustainable, it must be rooted in a commitment to the right of every Nigerian to adequate, healthy, and affordable food, regardless of their socio-economic status. The right to adequate food is an agreement contained in many international instruments and even in the constitution of our country. Article 16 (2) of our 1999 constitution rightly states that “The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, a reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.”
This provision does not mandate the government to knock on every door of its citizens and share food items (except, of course, in unfortunate situations of war). However, it requires that the government must do everything in its capacity to ensure its citizens have the enabling environment and support to produce, distribute and access food. It means we must create a food system where profit does not take precedence over empathy and the right of fellow citizens to food. The ripple effect of hoarding and hiking food prices, if allowed to continue, will take its toll on everyone. Food is a necessity and right; depriving people of this right is also depriving them of the right to live. Our state actors also have a significant role to play in protecting this right through consumer protection actions.
A common adage among our people is that “if hunger is removed from poverty, then poverty becomes insignificant.” If policymakers look at food security from a holistic perspective, we can solve many problems, including poverty and insecurity, with “one stone.” We can develop more holistic solutions to address many of our challenges as a nation. Our current food crises can serve as a catalyst for the radical transformation of our food systems to a more sustainable, effective system that can address current and future food insecurity and other interrelated issues.
Dahunsi is an agricultural consultant from Ekiti State.
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