Kyari Rejects Political Interpretation of Food Insecurity Report, Says Government Is Addressing Challenges
Kyari Rejects Political Interpretation of Food Insecurity Report, Says Government Is Addressing Challenges
Kyari Rejects Political Interpretation of Food Insecurity Report, Says Government Is Addressing Challenges
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has rejected what he described as attempts by opposition voices to misrepresent the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment for political purposes.
Kyari said food and nutrition insecurity remained a serious national challenge that required honest assessment and practical solutions, stressing that the report was designed to provide early warnings and guide government interventions, not serve as an election forecast.
In a statement, the Minister explained that the Cadre Harmonisé was developed by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), alongside regional and technical partners, with support from organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), FEWS NET, UNICEF and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
He clarified that the report did not state that 33.5 million Nigerians would face food insecurity because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be re-elected in 2027, describing such an interpretation as politically motivated.
According to him, the projected figure of 33.5 million relates to the June–August 2027 period and represents a decline from the 34.8 million projected for the corresponding period in 2026.
Kyari noted that the assessment identified several factors contributing to food and nutrition insecurity, including climate change, inconsistent rainfall, prolonged dry spells and changing weather patterns associated with the Super El Niño phenomenon.
He stressed that the report did not link these challenges to the continuation of any particular political administration, adding that its purpose was to help governments and development partners identify risks and respond early.
The Minister said the Federal Government, under President Tinubu’s leadership, was implementing measures to improve food production and strengthen the country’s food security.
He listed the interventions to include improved access to fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, increased mechanisation, expansion of irrigation and dry-season farming, stronger agricultural financing, improved access to farmland, investment in storage and processing facilities, and the development of agricultural value chains.
He also highlighted the promotion of climate-resilient farming and improved security in several farming communities, which he said had enabled farmers who previously could not access their farmlands to return to cultivation.
Kyari cited Marte and Guzamala in Borno State as examples of areas where improved stability had allowed data collectors to conduct the Cadre Harmonisé assessment after previously facing access challenges.
He further said the government had recorded progress in fertiliser distribution and local blending, support for smallholder farmers, mechanisation partnerships, dry-season production and agricultural financing through the Bank of Agriculture.
While acknowledging that the interventions would not resolve all the challenges immediately, the Minister described food insecurity as a longstanding structural problem that required sustained investment and coordinated action.
He maintained that agriculture had recorded progress since the Tinubu administration assumed office, adding that the government remained committed to increasing production and building a more resilient food system.
Kyari urged political actors to exercise caution when discussing food security data, warning against using the struggles of millions of Nigerians as political talking points.
He said the government welcomed scrutiny and constructive criticism but maintained that technical assessments should not be deliberately misrepresented for electoral purposes.
The Minister assured that the Federal Government would continue to use the findings of the Cadre Harmonisé to strengthen interventions, support farmers, protect livelihoods and improve access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.
Kyari Rejects Political Interpretation of Food Insecurity Report, Says Government Is Addressing Challenges
