The Labour Party 2023 presidential election candidate, Obi encouraged the Federal government to leverage on its pool of national wealth to invest “aggressively” in agriculture.
The Labour party flag bearer of the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi said he is alarmed to see Nigeria is considered among the 20 Hungriest nations in the world.
Expressing dismay at how the country has drifted to this level of economic backwardness, Obi recalled UNICEF’s publication in 2023 which saw 25 million Nigerians going hungry by the end of the year.
“I was alarmed when in January 2023, the Cadre Harmonisé, a UNICEF publication, indicated that nearly 25 million Nigerians were at risk of facing hunger between June and August 2023 if urgent actions were not taken,” he said .
“The nation. By the end of 2023, around 26.5 million Nigerians were then reported to be at risk of hunger in 2024, which was still of grave concern to Nigerians.
“It is saddening again to note that the same publication, Cadre Harmonisé is again warning that more Nigerians, to the tune of 31.5 million, are at risk of acute hunger and serious food insecurity between June and August 2024.”
As Nigeria is considered among the 20 Hungriest nations, Mr Obi emphasized more strongly on the hunger Crisis in Nigeria: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions
Obi said Nigeria ranks 109 ‘Hungriest’ nations out of 125 countries measured on the Global Hunger Index.
“The situation has now become more complex with the high cost of living and high inflation rate which pervades our economy. Today, with our ranking of 109 out of 125 countries measured on the Global Hunger Index, Nigeria is considered among the 20 hungriest nations in the world.
“I was very concerned and worried like every other Nigerian and I then called on the government of the day to take urgent steps and stem the tide of impending hunger in the nation. By the end of 2023, around 26.5 million Nigerians were then reported to be at risk of hunger.”
“Many Nigerian households now spend almost all their income on food alone, leaving all other family expenses to anyone’s imagination.
The Labour Party 2023 presidential election candidate, Obi encouraged the Federal government to leverage on its pool of national wealth to invest “aggressively” in agriculture.
He noted that he is afraid that the situation of hunger will be grave if nothing is done now by the APC-led government to see investment in farming as the solution to the hardship faced by millions of Nigerian households.
“I have consistently maintained that the surest way to fight hunger in Nigeria is by moving our nation from consumption to production, which entails aggressive investment in agriculture by fully exploring and cultivating the vast arable lands mostly in the Northern parts of the country.
“Now that we have been given notice of the impending danger – the additional number of Nigerians that will face hunger by June this year, I strongly urge that we work hard and put in place measures that will help us to avert it.
“We must take urgent steps to boost food production in the country to defeat the rising hunger, and attendant anger in the nation.
“With the high level of insecurity and terror attacks in many parts of the country hindering farmers from their agricultural activities, and management of our monetary policies impacting negatively on small businesses in the agricultural sector, the government must secure the farmers and give them adequate support for increased food production.
“Building a productive Nigeria remains our focus in the New Nigeria which is possible,” he added.
However, addressing the hunger crisis in Nigeria is beset by numerous challenges, including political instability, corruption, and inadequate infrastructure for food distribution.
These obstacles hinder the effective implementation of strategies and impede the equitable access to food and resources for those most in need.
The international community, without however exempting the federal government’s active duty to participate in the fight, also plays a crucial role in addressing Nigeria’s hunger crisis, offering foreign aid, technical assistance, and collaborative partnerships to supplement the country’s domestic efforts.
It is not surprising why Nigeria is considered among the 20 Hungriest nations, but to tackle this pressing national issue the Nigeria government must engage in coordinated action with Nigerian stakeholders as foreign entities also have a big role to play in terms of contributing to the ongoing battle against food insecurity and malnutrition.
With good governance and conscious efforts on the part of the government and Nigerian citizens, Nigeria can strive towards a future where hunger is no longer a barrier to the nation’s progress and prosperity
