In response to the increasing food inflation following the removal of fuel subsidy, President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security in Nigeria. He has also directed that all matters related to food and water availability and affordability be included in the purview of the National Security Council.
To address the situation, immediate measures will be taken, including the release of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal. This was revealed by Dele Alake, the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, after consultations with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Alake emphasized that while food availability is not a problem, affordability has become a major issue for many Nigerians. This has resulted in a significant drop in demand, undermining the entire agriculture and food value chain. The government intends to use some of the savings from the fuel subsidy removal to revamp the agricultural sector, with a focus on doubling the percentage of employment in agriculture from 35.21% to about 70% in the long term.
Immediate interventions will include the release of fertilizers and grains, and a synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and year-round food production. The government plans to utilize 11 out of Nigeria’s 12 river basins for irrigation schemes, guaranteeing continuous farming production throughout the year.
To regulate food prices, the government will establish a National Commodity Board that will review and assess food prices while maintaining a strategic food reserve. This board will help stabilize critical grain prices and moderate fluctuations. The government will also engage its security architecture to protect farms and farmers, ensuring their safety and enabling them to return to their farmlands without fear of attacks.
Regarding livestock farming, the government will partner with states to create ranches and grazing reserves. The Federal Government will cover the cost of land for these ranches, and land banks nationwide, totaling 500,000 hectares, will be activated to increase the availability of arable land for farming.
Anite, a member of the Presidential Advisory Council, clarified that the distribution of grains to farmers and households would be free of charge, funded by the savings from the fuel subsidy removal. The Central Bank of Nigeria has also advised middlemen withholding grains to release their supplies, as prices are expected to fall when the government begins distributing grains.
