World Food Day: Peter Obi raises alarm over food security crisis

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s deepening food crisis and soaring inflation, urging immediate action to address hunger and food insecurity.

In a statement commemorating World Food Day, Obi criticised the skyrocketing prices of basic food items, which have left many households struggling to afford sustenance.

Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi lamented the paradox of widespread hunger in a nation with abundant agricultural resources. He referred to a recent World Bank report, which likened Nigeria’s worsening food security crisis to conflict-ridden countries like Yemen, with more than 31.8 million Nigerians experiencing acute food shortages.

The former governor of Anambra State noted that food inflation in Nigeria reached 37.5% year-on-year in August 2024, one of the highest rates globally. He warned that unless the government takes swift and decisive action, projections indicate that by 2030, as many as 82 million Nigerians—about 64% of the population—could face hunger.

Obi reiterated his long-standing position that Nigeria must transition from a consumption-driven economy to a production-oriented one. He stressed the importance of targeted agricultural investments and the adoption of modern farming techniques to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s vast, uncultivated lands.

Drawing comparisons to countries like the Netherlands, which generates over $100 billion annually from agricultural exports despite limited arable land, Obi called for increased agricultural focus, particularly in northern Nigeria.

He urged the government to prioritise food security as a national objective, stressing that it is crucial for the future prosperity of the country.

Reaffirming his commitment to a productive and hunger-free Nigeria, Obi stated, “A nation booming in productivity, free from hunger, with an abundant food supply remains our commitment to a new, more prosperous Nigeria. It is possible!”

Obi’s statement read: “Today, the world marks World Food Day, a very significant global event that raises awareness about the issues of hunger and food insecurity and serves as a reminder of the need to commit to food security and fight hunger to a standstill.

“This global observance is particularly important to us in Nigeria, where food prices are skyrocketing every day, and basic food items are becoming unaffordable to most people.

“Severe hunger has now become an unfortunate member of many households in Nigeria—the once giant of Africa, a nation that has the most arable land on the continent.

“Nigeria’s struggle with a food crisis and hunger today is saddening, considering the richly blessed and vast arable lands with which we are endowed as a nation.

“In the past, I used to lament that the majority of Nigerian households spent most of their income on food alone, sparing none for savings and other critical needs.

“Today, it is heartbreaking to note that most Nigerian households are no longer able to afford sustenance food with their income.

“Food prices are soaring, food inflation is skyrocketing, the food crisis is worsening by the day, and hunger has graduated to a national crisis.

“In a Food Security Update Report released last week, the World Bank likened Nigeria’s worsening food security crisis to war-torn countries like Yemen, noting that we have a significant rise in the number of people facing acute food shortages and an epidemic of hunger.

“Today, the Global Hunger Index ranks Nigeria among the 20 most hungry nations in the world. In August 2024, it was reported that more than 31.8 million Nigerians were acutely short of food due to security challenges and the removal of fuel subsidies.

“It was also reported that 15.6 million children in Nigeria were facing hunger. The United Nations predicted that 82 million Nigerians, or about 64 percent of the country’s population, may go hungry by 2030 if the government fails to tackle the menace of food insecurity.

“Domestic food inflation in Nigeria remains among the highest globally, with food prices increasing by 37.5% year-on-year as of August 2024.

“I believe these reports, sad as they are, only paint a lenient picture of the severity of the food crisis and hunger in reality.”