Worsening malnutrition crisis prompts government call for Agri-Food funding - NaijaAgroNet

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Nigeria is facing a severe food insecurity and malnutrition crisis, with an estimated 31 million people food-insecure and over 10 million children under five acutely malnourished, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a joint communique issued on World Humanitarian Day, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator sounded the alarm, highlighting that "pipelines for food and nutrition that are lifelines for millions of people, especially children under the age of five, are severely disrupted, if not completely depleted".

The communique, signed by Hon. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu and Mohamed Mack All, explicitly calls for urgent action to save the lives of an estimated 400,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

In response to this unfolding disaster, the Government of Nigeria has committed to increasing funding for humanitarian interventions and has urged all stakeholders and international and domestic partners to provide additional funding and resources for food and nutritional support.

This crisis underscores the critical need for resilient agricultural systems. The communique emphasizes that only development interventions, including disaster risk reduction and management, and anticipatory action, can reduce the risks posed by hazards that threaten the welfare of Nigerians.

This highlights the necessity of investing in agricultural technologies and practices that can withstand climate shocks and other disruptions.

The government's plan to lead a transition towards locally-led, implemented, and resourced operations also has implications for the agricultural sector.

By empowering local partners, the initiative can support community-based agricultural programs and food systems that are more resilient and directly responsive to the needs of local populations.

The commitment to a "nexus approach" that links humanitarian, development, and peace efforts further signals that agricultural and food security solutions will be central to Nigeria's strategy for achieving long-term stability and reducing vulnerability.