HOUSE of Representatives has raised the alarm over soaring fertiliser prices, warning that the surge threatens Nigeria’s food security and could undermine agricultural productivity nationwide.
The lawmakers, therefore, urged the Federal Government to take immediate steps to reduce the cost of fertilisers and other essential farm inputs to support farmers and stabilise the agricultural sector.
This followed the adoption of a motion on the floor of the House, sponsored by Yusuf Galambi of the New Nigeria People’s Party, representing Jigawa State.
In his presentation, Galambi stressed the critical role fertilisers and other farm inputs play in crop production, soil enrichment, and overall agricultural productivity.
The lawmaker warned that if the trend continued, it could lead to reduced crop yields, higher food prices, and worsening food insecurity across the country.
He noted that although the Federal Government had made efforts to regulate food prices, the high cost of production, particularly the soaring prices of fertilisers, remained a major factor driving inflation in the agricultural sector.
Following an extensive debate and overwhelming support from members, the House resolved to call on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to take urgent action to make fertilisers and other farm inputs more affordable for farmers nationwide.
MEANWHILE, the NNigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), yesterday, launched the Africa Zero Hunger, United for Durable Solutions initiative, warning that food insecurity across Africa had reached critical levels, with more than 700 million people affected.
It also explained that the Zero Hunger Initiative was designed to address the recurrent nature of food crises by combining early action with long-term development strategies.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Secretary General of the NRCS, Abubakar Kende, said the initiative, driven by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 49 African National Societies, signals a bold, practical commitment to ending hunger through community-led, sustainable solutions.
He said: “Of the total number of undernourished people globally, more than one-third live in Africa – 282 million people. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounts for almost one-third of the global total, or 724 million people facing moderate or severe food insecurity.”
