… ActionAid calls for safety nets for women, children
… Warns of Global food crisis
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
A new research survey released by ActionAid has shown that the Ukraine/ Russia war in recent time is taking a severe toll on the economies on countries across the world and creating hardship as families in Nigeria, the African Region and countries due to record- breaking inflation of essential consumables like food items and fuel.
A cording to the ActionAid findings the cost of food, fuel, and fertiliser in some of the world’s poorest communities is soaring, with families spending double, triple, and nearly four times what they were paying before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Findings in Nigeria show that the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 59 % in Sanrab semi-urban community in Kwara state. In Yobe state urban community of Nasarawa, the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 67 %. In Lagos, the price increase has been up to 127%. In rural areas of Kaduna, fertiliser prices have increased up to 111 %. At the same time, few areas of Lagos have witnessed up to a 111 % increase in sunflower cooking oil.
The survey which was conducted in 13 countries across the world namely Nigeria, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Lebanon ,Malawi, Mozambiqeue, Myanmar, Palestine, Somaliland, Zambia and Zimbabwe showed that the prices of local foods, fuel, fertilizer, pasta and cooking oil has sky rocked and tripled in prices improvising families.
the findings show that the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 59 % in Sanrab, a semi-urban community in Kwara state.
In Yobe state, urban community of Nasarawa, the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 67 %. In Lagos, the price increase has been up to 127%. In rural areas of Kaduna, fertiliser prices have increased up to 111 %.
Also few areas of Lagos have witnessed up to a 111 % increase in sunflower cooking oil.
In a statement by the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi said, “The Ukraine-Russia war has worsened the cost of living in many parts of the world, but the gaps in governance and lack of social safety-net have thrown more Nigerians into the abyss of poverty.”
“The current hyper-inflation has made the meagre income of many Nigerians insignificant; for a government committed to lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty, there is a need for reflection and immediate action, Obi said.
Reportedly in some communities mothers say that due to the hyperinflation they have to take their children out of school to afford to buy food and to provide one meal a day for their families.
ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Nigerian Government to immediately roll-out of social protection measures, which target women and girls, including cash transfers and food support, to assist indigent families in the country.
Meanwhile ActionAid has warned countries of imminent global food crisis if governments do not take urgent actions to avert the catastrophic hunger on the human population.
Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International global climate justice Lead said, “The world is now on track for a global food crisis that looks far more deadly, devastating, and prolonged than 2007-08. Governments and international institutions must take urgent action to avert catastrophic hunger on an unprecedented scale.”
According to Anderson the conflict in Ukraine has created a perfect storm of skyrocketing prices for food, fuel and fertiliser, disproportionately affecting local communities who barely have any belt left to tighten.”
She called on governments must rapidly train farmers on agroecological approaches to avert dramatic global yield losses from a worldwide lack of fertilisers later this year to avert dramatic global yield losses.
The international NGO also urged countries who are dependent on food imports to invest in national and regional food reserves to act as buffers to reduce their countries’ vulnerability to food shortages and price rises.
