1.3million hectares of land, 558,000 cropland submerged by flood – FAO

Recent statistics by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) have revealed that 1.3 million hectares of land  and 558 000 ha of cropland across the country have been submerged by flood waters as of September 10

They expressed concerns that several communities were at risk as floodwaters are expected to continue rising as rivers swell with dams approaching their maximum capacity, further threatening communities across Northern Nigeria.

The UN organisation in a press statement noted that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned that the northeast and west are at imminent risk of further flooding, with states most at risk including Borno, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.

FAO said that floods have affected 29 states and displaced thousands, destroying farmland and claiming lives.

It however expressed concern about the potential for increased hunger, as nearly 31.8 million Nigerians are already at risk of acute food insecurity as the floods continue to push vulnerable communities deeper into poverty,

FAO Representative interim, Koffy Dominique Kouacou, stressed the urgent need for coordinated action to avert a worsening humanitarian disaster and emphasized that enhanced infrastructure, improved early warning systems, and rapid response mechanisms are crucial to addressing the crisis and building long-term resilience.

He stated that the upcoming October−November 2024 analysis of the Cadre Harmonisé will further quantify the floods’ impact on food security and nutrition in Nigeria and the regional impact of floods on northeastern Nigeria

He said, “About 880 000 people have been affected in the three states and nearly 300 000 ha of farmland have been destroyed following the collapse of the Alau dam in Konduga Local Government Areas (LGA) of Borno state.”

FAO called for immediate and flexible funding to support ongoing humanitarian response and early recovery efforts, including food and non-food items, saying it is working closely with local authorities to assess the impacts of the floods on agricultural assets and livelihoods while strengthening early warning systems and also called on the international community for continued advocacy and support of the evolving disaster.