NYF Urges Tinubu to Declare Agricultural Emergency Amid Food Crisis

NYF Urges Tinubu to Declare Agricultural Emergency Amid Food Crisis

The Nigeria Youth Forum (NYF) has raised alarm over Nigeria’s worsening food insecurity, blaming systemic corruption, diversion of agricultural resources, and poor budgetary commitment as major impediments to agricultural productivity and national food sufficiency.

In a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, the group’s National President, Comrade Toriah Olajide Filani, decried the country’s over dependence on food imports and international aid despite possessing over 84 million hectares of arable land. He described the situation as “a national tragedy and policy failure.”

Filani accused some officials of diverting agricultural equipment meant for community use for personal gain, thereby denying genuine farmers the tools needed to improve yields.

“Government may be trying on paper, but the reality is different in the fields. Agricultural machineries meant for community use are being diverted by individuals and sold off. These acts sabotage every effort aimed at achieving food sufficiency,” he stated.

According to NYF, only about 35 percent of Nigeria’s cultivable land is currently being used, mostly by smallholder farmers operating at subsistence levels without access to modern tools or support systems.

Filani further criticized the federal government’s poor funding of the agricultural sector, noting that only 1.32 percent of the 2024 national budget was allocated to agriculture—far below the 10 percent commitment endorsed by the African Union under the Maputo and Malabo Declarations.

While commending the federal government’s proposed increase of the agriculture budget from ₦362 billion in 2024 to ₦826 billion in 2025—a 128 percent rise—Filani stressed that actual implementation, transparency, and impact measurement are critical.

“Mere allocation means nothing when only 15 to 19 percent of budgeted funds reach the sector. The rest is lost to corruption and bureaucratic bottlenecks,” he said, citing the example of underperforming programs like the Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP).

The youth group emphasized the sector’s role in addressing youth unemployment, boosting GDP, and reducing insecurity. They pointed to Kano State as an example where sustained investment in agricultural infrastructure has fostered stability and discouraged youth involvement in criminal activities.

Filani called for a comprehensive overhaul of the sector, recommending that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declare a national agricultural emergency. He urged the unveiling of a youth-focused, innovation-driven agricultural revival plan with measurable targets.

It was gathered that the proposals made by NYF in order to address the situation include: Formation of youth-led agricultural cooperatives nationwide, Expansion of mechanised farming schemes, Creation of a real-time public dashboard to monitor project delivery and budget implementation and Establishment of state-by-state productivity benchmarks.

The group referenced alarming statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which warn that over 25 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity in the near future. Nigeria currently ranks 103rd out of 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index.

“Until we begin to measure impact and enforce accountability, agricultural reforms will remain televised propaganda without grassroots results. Nigeria should be the food basket of Africa, not a nation of hungry people sitting on fertile soil,” Filani stated.

The NYF concluded by warning that failure to act decisively could deepen poverty, exacerbate insecurity, and stall Nigeria’s broader economic and industrial growth.