By Salifu Faridat
Save the Children, a prominent humanitarian organization, has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to address the intensifying food crisis in Nigeria.
The organization revealed that relentless attacks perpetrated by armed groups against farmers are disrupting critical food supplies, deepening the nation’s hunger crisis in 2023.
During this challenging situation, Save the Children underscored that these brutal assaults not only hamper food production but also push children to the brink of dire circumstances.
Country Director Famari Barro emphasized this concern in an official statement released on Monday.
The statement shed light on the distressing consequences of violent attacks on farmers, aggravating an already grave hunger crisis in Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions.
In these areas, millions of children are uncertain about their next meal, raising significant concerns about their overall well-being.
To confront this urgent issue, Save the Children has called for immediate action that prioritizes the well-being of children.
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The organization highlights the pressing need to curtail this devastating trend to protect innocent lives. Failure to do so could result in armed groups persisting in their ruthless attacks, leading to higher food prices and pushing families deeper into the abyss of starvation.
Drawing from data provided by the Nigeria Security Tracker, Save the Children reported that armed groups were responsible for the deaths of over 128 farmers and the abduction of 37 others across Nigeria during the first half of 2023.
The organization also highlighted that just in June, non-state armed groups claimed the lives of 19 farmers in Borno State, located in Nigeria’s northern region.
Referencing a January estimate from the United Nations, Save the Children revealed that over 25 million people in Nigeria could face food insecurity in 2023.
This alarming figure marks a 47 percent increase from the initial estimate of 17 million individuals at risk of hunger. Factors contributing to this crisis encompass ongoing insecurity, protracted conflicts, and anticipated food price surges.
The dire circumstances extend to the younger population as well. Approximately two million children under the age of five in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe face the risk of acute malnutrition in 2023, with nearly 700,000 children teetering on the brink of death.
The statement further highlighted the impact of the climate crisis, noting that the escalating frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change exacerbate the situation.
In response to these dire circumstances, Nigeria recently declared a state of emergency on food insecurity.
This declaration aims to address food shortages, stabilize rising prices, and enhance protections for farmers who encounter violence from armed groups.
