Nigeria’s unfinished food security battle

As the world marks World Food Day on October 16, Nigeria’s growing challenge of feeding its population has come into sharper focus. Rising food prices, insecurity in farming communities and weaknesses in agricultural production are putting increasing pressure on households and farmers alike.

This year’s theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow”, is a timely reminder that food security requires more than policy declarations. It demands sustained investment in modern farming methods, affordable inputs, efficient storage and processing, and effective protection for farmers.

For millions of households, the problem is already evident at the dinner table. Many cannot afford adequate, nutritious meals, while farmers face insecurity, high production costs and poor infrastructure. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) identifies conflict, economic difficulties and rising input costs as factors worsening food insecurity in Nigeria.

Insecurity is the most troubling of these. In large parts of the North-East, North-West and North-Central, farmers still face attacks, abductions and other threats that prevent them from accessing their farms or harvesting their crops. The government must intensify efforts to secure farming communities, rural roads and markets so that people can cultivate their land without fear of intimidation, abduction or death.

However, security alone will not resolve the problem. Fertilisers, seeds, fuel, machinery and labour now cost so much that even a good harvest can leave producers with little profit. Government needs to make affordable inputs, credit, insurance and extension services more accessible while ensuring that support reaches genuine farmers. If local production is not commercially viable, the country risks discouraging the very people it expects to feed it.

Nigeria’s record of agricultural programmes also holds lessons. From Operation Feed the Nation in 1976 and the Green Revolution of 1980 to the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of 2012 and subsequent initiatives, successive administrations have announced policies to boost production and reduce dependence on imported food. Yet high food prices and inadequate domestic output persist.

Our conclusion is that the problem is not necessarily a shortage of policies but a failure to sustain implementation and deliver measurable results. New administrations seem eager to launch programmes, often with elaborate ceremonies, rather than build on previous efforts. Nigeria needs a coherent, long-term agricultural strategy with clear targets, consistent funding and transparent monitoring. It must outlast changes in government, and its success should be measured by higher yields, better farmer incomes and more affordable food.

Innovation must be central to this effort. The country cannot continue to rely mainly on labour-intensive farming and expect to feed a growing population. Mechanisation should be a priority, with tractors, planters, harvesters, irrigation systems and other modern equipment made accessible through affordable leasing, cooperatives and private-sector partnerships.

This should not come at the expense of smallholder farmers, who remain vital to domestic food production. Instead, government should help them raise productivity through improved seeds, modern techniques, extension services and better market access. Young Nigerians should also be encouraged to embrace agriculture through training, financing and technology that make farming a viable business.

Agricultural research institutes also have a role to play. Too much of their work remains confined to laboratories and publications. Improved crop varieties, climate-resilient seeds, efficient irrigation and affordable technologies suited to local conditions must reach farmers and improve productivity.

Another major weakness is the waste between harvest and consumption. Poor storage, inadequate transportation and limited processing facilities cause valuable produce to perish before reaching the market. Government and private investors should expand storage, cold-chain infrastructure, rural roads and food-processing capacity. Manufacturers should also invest across the agricultural value chain, supporting farmers and ensuring that more locally grown crops are processed within the country. This would reduce waste, create jobs and add value to domestic production.

Livestock production also needs modernisation. Nigeria must move beyond recurring farmer-herder conflicts towards a system that protects lives and property while supporting productive livestock businesses. Investment in animal health, improved breeding, feed production, veterinary services and modern processing can strengthen the sector and increase its contribution to food security.

It is, therefore, our considered view at Daily Trust that Nigeria must stop treating food production as a series of government announcements and start seeing it as a sustained national investment. If the government fails to make domestic production competitive, continued reliance on imports will support foreign producers at the expense of local ones, while leaving the country exposed to external price shocks and supply disruptions. Strategic imports may sometimes be necessary, but they cannot replace domestic capacity.

On this World Food Day, we challenge governments at all levels to provide the security, infrastructure and consistent policies needed to transform agriculture. We also urge research institutions and manufacturers to deepen their investment in innovation, from the farm to the processing plant.

Nigeria has the land and the people to produce far more of its own food. What is missing is the political will to turn that potential into results.