Nigeria Declares State of Emergency to Improve Food Security
15:47 14.07.2023 (Updated: 16:54 14.07.2023)
© AP Photo / Sunday Aghaeze
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Recently, Nigeria's new president Bola Tinubu ended a long-standing fuel subsidy. This has led to a sharp rise in the cost of essential items such as gasoline, transport and food.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu announced a federal state of emergency on food security connected with food inflation, which was caused by the abolition of fuel subsidies.
"Mr. President is not unmindful of the rising cost of food and how it affects the citizenry. While availability is not an issue, affordability has become a major concern for many Nigerians in all parts of the country," the presidential aide clarified.
Following the approval of the president, all the subjects connected to food and water availability and affordability are in the competence of the National Security Council, according to Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy.
"Accordingly, in line with this administration’s position on ensuring that the most vulnerable are supported, Mr. President has declared, with immediate effect, the following actions: That a state of emergency on food security be announced immediately, and that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council," he disclosed.
Dele Alake revealed that in support of the local farming the Federal Government in collaboration with the states will establish ranches, using land banks of the country.
"Activation of land banks. There is currently 500,000 hectares of already mapped land that will be used to increase availability of arable land for farming which will immediately impact food output," Alake noted.
Among other government's measures to combat food insecurity are the realese of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households and the deployment of some savings from the recent fuel subsidy removal into the development of the agricultural sector, the official reported.
In addition, following the statement of the Nigerian leader that it is no longer possible for the country to practice seasonal farming, necessary steps have been taken to assure continuous agricultural production, Dele Alake informed.
"There must be an urgent synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is produced all year round," he said.
Alake also adds that the appropriate irrigation system will "guarantee continuous farming production all year round to stem the seasonal glut and scarcity that we usually experience."
Aside from measures, providing direct support to the agricultural sector, the federal government plans to take a number of steps to regulate and control food prices, according to the official. This includes the establishment of a National Commodity Board.
"We shall create and support a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilization mechanism for critical grains and other food items. Through this board, the government will moderate spikes and dips in food prices," he explained.
