Nearly two years after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security, the situation has continued to deteriorate rather than improve, with prices of food still increasing and millions of Nigerians struggling to afford basic meals.
In July 2023, the Federal Government made commitments for interventions which would be timely in checking food price inflation, insecurity among farmers, and agriculture productivity at low levels. There were interventions to raise the output of crops, revolutionise the livestock sector, subsidise inputs for farming, enhance mechanisation, and enhance security.
But the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) food security report, released in November 2024, predicts that as of mid-2025, 33.1 million Nigerians will be under acute food and nutrition insecurity a disturbing increase in spite of government initiatives.
Unfulfilled Promises and Policy Failures
One of the most significant measures under the state of emergency was the 150-day import window for food items without duties unveiled in July 2024. The plan, however, failed to take off, and food inflation remains a cause for worry.
Experts continue to aver that unless there is a shift from words to action, the food crisis will not ease. They emphasize that better policy implementation, increased financing for agriculture, and more stakeholder engagement are needed.
Expert Opinions: “Government Must Walk the Talk”
Agronomy expert Professor Uche Amalu of the University of Calabar criticized the government’s failure to act, accusing it of paying lip service to food security.
“Food security isn’t just about production; it’s about accessibility, affordability, and sustainability. Instead of improvement, we’re seeing food prices rise, and no significant steps have been taken to change the situation,”
He also warned against over-reliance on food imports, the majority of which he says are genetically modified, and urged the government to promote local production and self-sufficiency.
Amalu proposed the implementation of Low-Input Agricultural Technology (LIAT) a low-cost farming method developed to benefit poor farmers. He stressed the requirement for extension services, farmers’ training, and low-cost farming inputs.
Farmers Demand Urgent Reforms
The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Kabir Ibrahim, thanked the government for its commitment but opined that the food security journey was “a work in progress.”
“In an attempt to attain food security in a sustainable manner, insecurity must be tackled, post-harvest losses reduced, climate change alleviated, and farm inputs subsidized,” he explained, advocating for more federal-state collaboration.
Meanwhile, Chief Daniel Okafor, National President of Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN), gave a more critical insight.
In his view, while government policies are nice, poor implementation is a huge drawback. Farmers, he clarified, are usually cut off from the decision-making and implementation process such that most policies fail.
“The policy is good, but the implementation is bad. Farmers are affected by climate change, insecurity, multiplicity of taxation, and absence of appropriate modern technology. Many Nigerians still sleep hungry as food remains a fundamental human right,” Okafor asserted.
The Way Forward
While mentioning some government initiatives, stakeholders opine that implementation, monitoring, and stakeholder engagement must be improved. Farmers must be given more inclusion when formulating policy, and the government must move from rhetoric to reality to guarantee Nigeria’s food future.
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Olawale Moses Oyewole is an adept writer who stays on top of current events and curate informative and engaging articles for his readers. He is a digital strategist who help brands gain online visibility.
