A staggering 88.5 million Nigerians are currently grappling with food insecurity, a figure projected to climb by six million in December 2023, the Federal Government revealed on Thursday.
This alarming situation is compounded by an 80 percent surge in food imports between 2019 and 2023.
The dire food security situation persists despite successive governments’ agricultural intervention programs aimed at boosting domestic food production.
This stark reality was brought to light by Kingsley Uzoma, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusinesses and Productivity Enhancement, during the National Policy Dialogue held in Abuja on Thursday.
Themed “Deepening Partnership for Scaling-Up of Information and Communication Technology for Development for Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria,” the dialogue was organized by the federal government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
Uzoma, painting a grim picture of Nigeria’s food security predicament, highlighted that the nation holds the highest global rate of stunted children, with a staggering 70 percent of its population living below the poverty line. In October, food inflation reached a distressing 31.52 percent.
“This escalating dependence on external sources further intensifies the challenges within the domestic food landscape, all of which have resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency in food security by Mr President,” Uzoma lamented.
To address this crisis, the IFAD-funded program, “Value Chain Development Programme and Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises Project for the Niger Delta,” aims to enhance incomes and food security through sustainable practices and the integration of ICT4D. The program utilizes tools such as the Mini-weather Station and Agriculture Market Information System to empower farmers.
However, Uzoma acknowledged the persistent challenges of data access, gender equality, infrastructure, and technical support that hinder the program’s effectiveness.
The presidential aide also recognized the decline in agricultural production as a major contributor to Nigeria’s reliance on food imports.
He emphasized the need for continuous initiatives in digital literacy and collaboration among agencies and the private sector to foster increased technology adoption among smallholder farmers.
Uzoma underscored that such endeavors could lead to increased productivity, extensive technical advancement, the promotion of best practices, enhanced trade competitiveness, and improved market access.
“Increased collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the NITDA is necessary to implement the National Digital Agriculture Strategy to further leverage technology for the advancement of the agricultural sector,” Uzoma urged.
He aligned his efforts to the mandate of his office under the leadership of the vice president, emphasizing a multifaceted approach rooted in technology and innovation to ensure transformative change in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“This includes empowering one million women, youths and minorities to achieve food and nutritional sovereignty, ensuring food security and heightened agricultural productivity,” Uzoma declared.
