High cost of food caused by insecurity, climate change – FG

The Federal Government has identified food insecurity, malnutrition and climate change as key factors driving lower incomes and higher food prices in Nigeria. These challenges have pushed food out of reach for many citizens, undermining the right to food and stalling progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal of “zero hunger.”

At a workshop in Abuja on developing an implementation strategy for the Nigeria Food Systems Transformation Pathways, Ministry of Finance spokesperson Olude Omolade reported that Permanent Secretary of Budget and Planning Nebolisa Anako disclosed these findings. Anako, represented by Director of National Monitoring and Evaluation Zakari Lawani, described the programme as a call to action to address poverty, hunger, malnutrition, disease, unemployment, conflict and changing weather patterns. He emphasized that food insecurity, malnutrition and climate change have collectively reduced incomes and raised food prices, making food unaffordable for many.

The statements align with the latest National Bureau of Statistics report, which showed that rising prices of bread, cereals, rent, potatoes, yam, tubers, vegetables and meat drove inflation up in February. The bureau detailed the contributions of each category to headline inflation: bread and cereal (21.67 %), actual and imputed rent (7.74 %), potatoes, yam and other tubers (6.06 %), vegetables (5.44 %) and meat (4.78 %).

Anako noted that Nigeria’s food‑systems dialogue began in January 2021, responding to the UN Secretary‑General’s call for countries to convene multi‑level discussions, identify challenges and devise sustainable, innovative strategies to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition in line with the SDGs. He urged all relevant stakeholders—including government at every level and development organisations—to support the implementation of the 2022 call to action, mobilise additional resources and monitor progress.

“The workshop is an opportunity to review and endorse the underpinning principles and key thrust of the implementation strategy, finalize governance and coordination arrangements, establish a monitoring and evaluation framework for the 78 priority actions, and validate the 2023 action plan,” Anako said.

A steering committee has been formed to provide technical support for developing the 2023 action plan, which will be presented at the global stock‑taking scheduled for Rome in July 2023.