The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says at least 26.5 million Nigerians in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara States, including the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), may face a food crisis between June and August 2024.
FAO country representative, Dominique Kouacou, who was represented by the Assistant FAO representative, programme, Abubakar Suleiman, disclosed this at the presentation of the October to November round of the Cadre Harmonise (CH) food security and early warning analysis yesterday, in Abuja.
The CH conducted the analysis in 26 states and the FCT to ascertain the food security situation and make projections for the future. According to him, the current cycle is happening after an unusually lean season which witnessed several shocks, ranging from persistent insecurity situations like insurgency and banditry.
He listed other challenges as natural resource-based conflicts, high cost of food and agricultural inputs due to high inflation and severe dry spells in some states immediately after the onset of rains.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ernest Umakhihe, said the analysis was conducted and validated by highly-skilled professionals of the CH analysis task force over the past two weeks.
The Perm. Sec., represented by Director of Special duties, Fausat Lawal, said though the challenges were daunting, they were surmountable. Umakhihe added that several factors seemed to negate the ministry’s efforts.
