As FAO predicts hunger in 16 states, farmers call for massive irrigation support

Following the presentation of the October-November 2020 food insecurity and nutrition report, known as “Cadre Harmonise (CH), by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, farmers and other stakeholders in Nigeria have asked the Federal Government to upscale irrigation production to prevent food crisis. The report, which  looked at food crisis situation […]

Following the presentation of the October-November 2020 food insecurity and nutrition report, known as “Cadre Harmonise (CH), by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, farmers and other stakeholders in Nigeria have asked the Federal Government to upscale irrigation production to prevent food crisis.

The report, which  looked at food crisis situation in 16 states of Adamawa; Bauchi; Benue; Borno; Gombe; Jigawa; Kaduna; Kano; Katsina; Kebbi; Niger; Plateau; Sokoto; Taraba; Gombe; Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), predicted that over 13.8 million people would need urgent attention between now and August 2021 in those states.

The Cadre Harmonise is the tool adopted for use in gauging the food insecurity and nutrition situation of countries in the Sahel. Member countries, including Nigeria, have applied the outcome of the analysis in preventing food crisis by identifying the areas affected and the populations.

The report stated that currently, more than 9 million people in Nigeria were expected to be in crisis or worse from October through December 2020.

The FAO country representative in Nigeria, Mr Fred Kafeero, said the CH analysis report was an important tool for food security stakeholders to proffer appropriate measures to improve food and nutrition security and livelihoods in states threatened by hunger.

However, Mr Kafeero said that this “October/November 2020 CH analysis happened to be different from the previous years as it took into consideration the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the various outcomes of FNS and the inference of the various FNS contributing factors.”

He said despite the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, several households were still experiencing difficulties in accessing their basic food and non-food needs due to disrupted livelihood.

Mr Kafeero said the FAO had supported 63,000 farmers with quality seeds and fertiliser during the wet season and another 19,000 for the coming dry season.

The national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, while reacting to the prediction, stressed that the best option available for government was to intensify the dry season irrigation production to ensure that food is produced massively by February/March 2021.

He said farmers should be encouraged to produce food in three cycles, using some of the available irrigation facilities that are dormant in the North.

Alhaji Sabo Abdullahi, a retired agric extension expert, said government should institute early warning system and proactive measures to tackle issues like this, adding that, “As a country, we must have early warning system that will allow us plan ahead against any food crisis situation.’’

He said government must invest more on extension services to increase farmers’ production.

Alhaji Zubairu Abdullahi, the director of planning, who represented the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the event, said the ministry was working closely with the FAO and World Food Programme to intervene in the areas identified in the report by the Federal Government.

ollowing the presentation of the October-November 2020 food insecurity and nutrition report, known as “Cadre Harmonise (CH), by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, farmers and other stakeholders in Nigeria have asked the Federal Government to upscale irrigation production to prevent food crisis.

The report, which  looked at food crisis situation in 16 states of Adamawa; Bauchi; Benue; Borno; Gombe; Jigawa; Kaduna; Kano; Katsina; Kebbi; Niger; Plateau; Sokoto; Taraba; Gombe; Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), predicted that over 13.8 million people would need urgent attention between now and August 2021 in those states.

The Cadre Harmonise is the tool adopted for use in gauging the food insecurity and nutrition situation of countries in the Sahel. Member countries, including Nigeria, have applied the outcome of the analysis in preventing food crisis by identifying the areas affected and the populations.

The report stated that currently, more than 9 million people in Nigeria were expected to be in crisis or worse from October through December 2020.

The FAO country representative in Nigeria, Mr Fred Kafeero, said the CH analysis report was an important tool for food security stakeholders to proffer appropriate measures to improve food and nutrition security and livelihoods in states threatened by hunger.

However, Mr Kafeero said that this “October/November 2020 CH analysis happened to be different from the previous years as it took into consideration the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the various outcomes of FNS and the inference of the various FNS contributing factors.”

He said despite the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, several households were still experiencing difficulties in accessing their basic food and non-food needs due to disrupted livelihood.

Mr Kafeero said the FAO had supported 63,000 farmers with quality seeds and fertiliser during the wet season and another 19,000 for the coming dry season.

The national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, while reacting to the prediction, stressed that the best option available for government was to intensify the dry season irrigation production to ensure that food is produced massively by February/March 2021.

He said farmers should be encouraged to produce food in three cycles, using some of the available irrigation facilities that are dormant in the North.

Alhaji Sabo Abdullahi, a retired agric extension expert, said government should institute early warning system and proactive measures to tackle issues like this, adding that, “As a country, we must have early warning system that will allow us plan ahead against any food crisis situation.’’

He said government must invest more on extension services to increase farmers’ production.

Alhaji Zubairu Abdullahi, the director of planning, who represented the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the event, said the ministry was working closely with the FAO and World Food Programme to intervene in the areas identified in the report by the Federal Government.