The World Bank has forecasted that persistent insecurity, armed conflict, and worsening livelihoods will continue to affect local government areas in Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara States, and the far north of Adamawa State until May, 2024.
According to the World Bank, poor macro-economic conditions are restricting access to agricultural inputs in the affected States, and that it is set to affect cereal production in the country.
The global bank, in its latest ‘Food Security Update’, issued on Wednesday, stated that estimated cereal production for the 2023/24 crop year is expected to be 76.5 million tonnes in West and Central Africa, which is a two percent decrease from the previous season, but a three percent rise from the average for the last five years.
The Bretton-Woods Institution further stated that Chad, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria are expected to contribute the most to the decline.
The report also noted that most of the sub-region areas will remain in the minimally food insecure category from November to May 2024.
It added that over the same period, (November to May 2024), Crisis (IPC Phase-3) conditions, mainly caused by persistent insecurity, armed conflict and deteriorating livelihoods are projected to affect local government areas in Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara States, and the far north of Adamawa state in Nigeria.
According to the report, in November, Nigeria’s headline inflation rose to 28.20 percent while food inflation soared to 32.84 percent.
