By Alfred Ajayi
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is currently grappling with skyrocketing food prices. This crisis, attributable to various economic and structural factors, commands far-reaching impacts on households and requires coordinated efforts from the government, private sector, and individuals to mitigate its effects.
Some of the key factors contributing to the rising cost of food commodities in Nigeria include: climate change, fuel prices and transportation costs, inflation and economic instability, supply chain disruptions, and lack of storage facilities.
Nigeria battles with environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, and desertification, which adversely affect agricultural productivity. These issues having gotten exacerbated by climate change undermine food production potential of the nation, leading to shortages and higher prices.
Also critical is the current pump price of petroleum products such as petrol, and diesel which has gone beyond the reach of many. Increases in fuel prices have a direct impact on the cost of transportation, which in turn raises the prices of food commodities. This problem is further compounded by poor infrastructure such as roads and bridges, making it difficult to move goods efficiently across the country. As a result, Nigerians spend fortunes to convey agricultural commodities from the farms to market places.
Current inflation rate of 26.8 percent is destabilizing to the economy. Persistent inflation coupled with the free fall in the value of the Nigerian naira has significantly increased the cost of imports and local goods. The inflationary trend has also been worsened by economic instability, eroding purchasing power and making essential food items less affordable for many Nigerians. Unimaginably, garri, which was once almost a worthless commodity and exclusive reserve of the poor, is no longer within the reach of the indigent Nigerians.
Also affecting the prices and leading to mal-nutrition are the disruptions caused by violence, conflicts and general state of insecurity engulfing almost all parts of the country. Some of these disruptions have been directly targeted at the agricultural regions, disrupting farming activities and food supply chains. Criminal activities manifesting in several ways have forced many farmers to abandon their lands, leading to reduced agricultural output.
Average Nigerian households have suffered far-reaching consequences as a direct consequence of steady hikes in the prices of food items. Many more Nigerians have slid into abject poverty with no respite in sight. 2023 data by the World Poverty Clock (a tool used to track poverty progress worldwide), indicates that 71 million Nigerians are extremely poor while the data from the nation’s Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in a buttressing manner classifies 133 million people as multi-dimensionally poor. For them, struggle for survival is daily routine reducing their ability to afford other essential needs such as healthcare and education.
Lack of storage facilities significantly contributes to malnutrition in Nigeria leading among other things to post-harvest losses and increased wastage of the harvested commodities. Without adequate storage facilities, a large portion of agricultural produce is lost due to spoilage. This wastage reduces the overall availability of food in the market, driving up prices and making it more difficult for families to access affordable, nutritious food.
This is primarily responsible for seasonal scarcity, which should have been averted if proper storage was possible. The surplus would have been preserved for use during the lean periods. This leaves farmers with unsavory economic implication as they are often compelled to sell their produce at give away prices. With reduced income, the farmers’ ability to reinvest in their farms in hampered, perpetuating a cycle of low productivity and poverty, which makes them vulnerable to malnutrition.
Volatility in market prices of food commodities is equally attributable to the lack of storage facilities. This naturally affects food security and access to nutritious foods for low-income households.
Lack of storage facilities can equally lead to reduced variety as citizens have limited access to diverse foods. The diet of many Nigerians is monotonous, often lacking in essential vitamins and minerals necessary for a balanced diet due largely to this factor which makes it impossible to preserve a wide variety of foods, including perishables like fruits and vegetables.
Addressing the lack of food storage facilities as well as preventing malnutrition requires concerted efforts of the government, the private sector, communities and individuals. On the part of the government, there is need to urgently develop requisite infrastructure through massive investments in modern storage facilities, such as silos, cold storage, and warehouses. These should be strategically located to serve key agricultural regions, where the benefits will be maximized.
Besides, government should spare-head the adoption of improved storage technologies like hermetic storage bags, solar-powered cold rooms, and other innovative solutions which can help preserve to food quality and extend shelf life. Also of importance is the training of farmers and communities on best practices for food storage can significantly reduce post-harvest losses and improve food safety.
Government is equally expected to implement policies that support infrastructure development, subsidize storage solutions, and encourage public-private partnerships can enhance the storage capacity at both local and national levels.
The private sector is critically needed to boost government efforts to achieve a positive outcome. They are expected to channel their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), towards initiatives that can help in improving food security and supporting local communities.
Individuals and communities also have critical roles to play. Community farming must be encouraged because it has the potential to enhance local food production and self-sufficiency. When this is well-implemented, it increases availability of food which in turn beat down the prices of items.
Also of great essence is the need to mount nutrition education across the country focusing on schools, worship centres and other strategic public places. This will educate individuals on affordable and nutritious dietary choices which can help mitigate the impact of high food prices. Related to the above is advocacy and awareness creation. There is need to raise people’s awareness about the causes and consequences of malnutrition. This helps in mobilizing support for policy changes and community actions.
The risk of malnutrition in Nigeria, being exacerbated by rising food prices, is reversible but all hands must be on deck. Addressing the causes of as enumerated above will alleviate immediate sufferings and also lays the foundation for a healthier, more prosperous nation.
Failure to address skyrocketing food prices and the threat of malnutrition could spiral into several severe consequences affecting various aspects of society and the economy. The nation will battle with certain health implications as malnutrition can result in stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and higher susceptibility to diseases. The mortality may further increase as a result of severe malnutrition. This is more so among young children who are more vulnerable to the effects of insufficient nutrition.
Rising food prices can lead to economic instability. Households may spend a larger proportion of their income on food, which reduces their ability to afford other necessities like healthcare, education, and housing. This makes way for worsening poverty rate capable of exacerbating existing economic inequalities and making it harder for families to break the cycle of poverty.
Food insecurity and high prices can lead to social unrest and protests which, if not properly managed, can destabilize the country further, potentially leading to violence and political instability. Where there is political tension and instability, forced migration results as people desperate for survival search for better living conditions within or outside the country.
Malnutrition also impacts education negatively as malnourished children are less likely to perform well in school, leading to poorer educational outcomes. This in a long term, affect the nation’s human capital development and future economic prospects.
Failure to address the problem of malnutrition is also capable of causing strain on healthcare services. The system may become overwhelmed with the increased burden of treating malnutrition and related health issues, straining already limited resources. This could be too much for our current reality in terms of preparedness for public health emergency.
Persistent food insecurity and malnutrition can hinder long-term economic growth by reducing the productivity of the workforce and increasing healthcare costs. To this end, Nigeria must implement comprehensive policies that address both the immediate and underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. These include: subsidies for essential food items and controlling prices to make food more affordable, investing in agricultural infrastructure, technology, and education to boost domestic food production and reduce dependency on imports as well as expanding social safety net programs to provide direct assistance to vulnerable populations.
The country must also enhance nutrition programs, particularly targeting children and pregnant women, to ensure access to essential nutrients, regulate markets to prevent hoarding and price gouging, and diversify the economy to reduce dependency on oil revenues and increase income levels across different sectors.
When the aforementioned issues are addressed, Nigeria will enjoy stable food prices, improved nutrition, as well as long-term economic and social stability.
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