A recent report by Save the Children has revealed a dire situation in Nigeria, with approximately 15.6 million children projected to face severe hunger as the lean season approaches in June. This figure represents a 25% increase compared to the same period in 2023, underscoring a worsening food insecurity crisis in the West African nation. The analysis attributes this alarming rise to a combination of increasing insecurity, ongoing conflict, and escalating food prices.
The data, derived from Cadre Harmonisé, a regional framework that assesses food and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and West Africa, indicates that nearly 32 million people in Nigeria will confront crisis levels of hunger from June to August if they do not receive adequate food and cash assistance. The situation is particularly acute for children, with forecasts suggesting that an additional 3.4 million children will suffer from hunger this year compared to last, averaging about 9,000 children per day.
Violence is a major contributing factor to the crisis, with non-state armed groups and bandits intensifying their attacks in the north, leading to a significant disruption in agricultural activities. According to the Association of Nigerian Farmers, there have been at least 165 farmer deaths so far this year, predominantly in Benue, a north-central region that the United Nations has identified as an emerging hotspot for farmer-herder conflicts. These attacks not only reduce food production but also disrupt local markets and force farmers to abandon their land, further exacerbating the food shortage.
Duncan Harvey, the Country Director for Save the Children in Nigeria, expressed grave concerns over the escalating crisis. “An already dire hunger situation in the country is gradually going from bad to worse as violence, insecurity, and rising prices combine to leave over 15 million children hungry in Nigeria,” he stated. Harvey highlighted that while the issue is national, the northern regions of Borno, Yobe, Katsina, and Zamfara are particularly affected, with one in three children unsure of where their next meal will come from.
The impact of this crisis is not limited to hunger alone. Children, who constitute one of the largest child populations globally, are also facing increased risks of conflict, violence, and exploitation. Harvey emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions to prioritize the needs of these children to halt this devastating trend and safeguard their well-being.
The report calls for immediate and concerted action from both the Nigerian government and the international community. It advocates for enhanced security measures to stabilize the affected regions and allow farmers to safely resume agriculture. Moreover, it underscores the necessity of scaling up humanitarian aid, particularly food and cash assistance, to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable populations.
In addition to emergency responses, the report also recommends long-term strategies to strengthen Nigeria’s resilience against food insecurity. These include investing in sustainable agricultural practices, improving food storage and distribution systems, and fostering economic opportunities that can reduce the overall vulnerability of communities to shocks such as violence or market fluctuations.
The situation in Nigeria serves as a stark reminder of the complex interplay between security, economic stability, and food access. It calls for a holistic approach that not only addresses the immediate symptoms of food insecurity but also tackles the underlying causes to prevent future crises. The plight of the 15.6 million children facing hunger is a clarion call for action that cannot be ignored, requiring a robust response to turn the tide against this escalating humanitarian disaster.
Source: The Guardian
