Food Crisis, Over 16.9m Nigerians at Risk in 2022 – FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that over 16.9 million Nigerians in 20 states and FCT might experience a food crisis in 2022.

According to the organisation, this is as consumption is expected to slightly worsen due to possible reduction in market stocks and rise in food prices.

FAO Country Representative, Fred Kafeero, revealed this during the 2021 presentation of the Cadre Harmonise Analysis Report for the 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja over the weekend

According to him, over 16.9 million people in 20 states and FCT are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2022.

“Since 2015, 13 cycles of the Cadre Harmonise (CH) analysis have been successfully conducted across 16 northern states and the FCT. We are grateful that early this year, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) approved the request for the expansion of CH to the remaining 20 states.

“Obviously, given the capacity and financial needs required for the expansion process, it was jointly agreed to conduct the expansion in a phased manner, starting with an additional five states, namely: Abia, Cross River, Edo, Enugu, and Lagos.” He added

Kafeero called on the federal and state governments to allocate yearly budgetary resources in-kind contributions to facilitate critical data generation and state-level CH analysis.

He also urged humanitarian and development partners to provide the much-needed interventions to save lives, sustain livelihoods and build the resilience of the at-risk populations.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, specifically said insecurity had continued to threaten Nigeria’s food and nutrition security.

Represented by the Director of Project, Coordinating Unit in the Ministry, Dr. Bright Wategire, Umakhihe called for stakeholders’ contributions to issues emanating from the CH results to enhance its quality.

source agronigeria