As the rainy season begins, the Nigerian Army has deployed troops across several northern states to protect farmers, ensuring a safe and successful planting season amidst the nation’s ongoing food crisis.
According to a statement by Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, the deployment primarily targets the North West and North Central regions, enabling farmers to access their lands without disruption and work towards a bumper harvest.
This action comes as Nigeria grapples with severe food shortages, which have contributed to a staggering food inflation rate of over 40 percent, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The country’s overall inflation reached a high of 34.19 percent in June 2024 before slightly declining to 33.40 percent in July.
The NBS highlighted a significant rise in food prices, with the food inflation rate in June 2024 at 40.87 percent, a sharp increase from 25.25 percent in June 2023.
The spike was attributed to higher costs of essential food items such as millet, garri, guinea corn, yams, and oils.
On a month-to-month basis, food inflation in June 2024 was recorded at 2.55 percent, up from 2.28 percent in May 2024.
The average annual food inflation rate for the year ending in June 2024 stood at 35.35 percent, an 11.31 percent increase from the previous year.
States like Edo, Kogi, and Cross River saw the highest year-on-year food inflation rates, with Edo leading at 47.34 percent.
Meanwhile, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Adamawa experienced the slowest increases. On a monthly basis, Yobe, Adamawa, and Taraba recorded the highest spikes in food prices.
Experts have pointed to insecurity, inadequate equipment, and other challenges as significant factors hindering food production in Nigeria.
In response to the escalating food crisis, the Federal Government has implemented several measures, including the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of essential commodities like maize, rice, wheat, and cowpeas for 150 days.
Additionally, the government approved the procurement of 2,000 tractors and 1,200 trailers and established a committee to address the nation’s food crisis.
