As the World celebrates World Food Day, a very significant global event, the Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi has lamented the problems of hunger and food insecurity in Nigeria which serves as a reminder of the need to commit to food security and fight hunger to a standstill.
Mr. Peter Obi who celebrated the global event on his X page on Wednesday stressed that the event is an opportunity to reflect on the daily hike in food prices, which has become unaffordable for average Nigerians who now resort to hunger.
He said, “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 in 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 exigencies.
“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.”
Mr. Obi recalled a food security report released by the World Bank,which listed Nigeria among 20 most hungry countries in the world having likened their situation to war prone countries.
The former governor equally reminded the government of the predicted strike of hunger by 2030 if it fails to swing into action to stop it as reported by the United Nations.
While lamenting the appalling situation, he stated that the reports on the country’s food crisis are not mere reports but the actual reality of Nigeria.
He said further, “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, about 64 percent of the country’s population, may go hungry by 2030 if the government fails to tackle the menace of food insecurity.
“The domestic food inflation in Nigeria remains among the highest globally, with food prices increasing by 37.5% year-on-year as of August 2024.”
But Mr. Obi said, “I believe these reports, sad as they are, only paint a lenient picture of the severity of the food crisis and hunger in reality.”
He added that while combating food insecurity, farmers’ welfare and mechanised farming should also be guaranteed for rapid development in the agricultural sector.
Mr. Obi said, “Over the years, I have maintained that moving the country from consumption to production remains the surest way of combating food insecurity and pulling the nation out of the present food crisis.
“I have equally stated, unequivocally, that the greatest asset our nation has is the vast uncultivated lands in the North coupled with our huge demographics.
“Therefore, We must be intentional with our agricultural investments.
“ A state like Niger State, which is twice bigger in land mass than the Netherlands (excluding water) can neither feed itself nor feed the nation, while the Netherlands exports over $100 billion worth of agro products annually.
“If we can prioritise investment in agriculture by combating insecurity which has kept farmers away from the farms, and adopting modern ways of mechanised farming, we will be able to combat hunger and achieve food security for the nation.
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!”