Link to article: Floods, food shortages threaten to push Nigeria into food crisis
Analysis: Severe flooding swept across Northwest Nigeria, destroying 90 percent of the two million tonnes of crops Kebbi state officials expected to harvest this autumn. Furthermore, Nigeria lost nearly 20 percent of last years rice harvest, while waters continue to rise.
Along with devastating floods, Nigeria is facing maize shortages. These shortages have caused chicken feed prices to have nearly doubled, leaving farmers with starving flocks.
With twin crises, floods and maize shortages, and complications due to movement restrictions and financing difficulties brought on by COVID-19 containment measures, a successful spring planting seems unattainable. This failure will continue to push Nigeria further towards a devastating food crisis.
Nigeria’s previous difficulties with agricultural policy, particularly pertaining to the access of foreign exchange and food importation, are further adding to the food shortages. In July, the Central Bank added maize to it’s list of items for which importers are banned from using it’s dollar. Rice and fertilizer were already on this list along with other items that Nigeria wants to be made locally.
On Nigeria’s current path, a food crisis is inevitable. Nigeria’s previous financing difficulties due to COVID-19 containment measures and adverse agricultural policy paved the road for both economic and food crises. Agricultural policy, being the more decisive factor of the two, threatens Nigeria by leaving it weakened and susceptible to problems regarding food and inflation. By stifling foreign imports and over emphasizing local farmers the Nigerian government has forced both farmers and consumers to deal with a rapidly shrinking supply and ever growing demand. Furthermore, the loss of Nigeria’s staple grain, rice, and core protein, chicken, is fueling the flames of an all out crisis. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, was already challenged to meet the needs of their population. With the addition of recent catastrophic events, Nigeria is being pushed to its breaking point.