As the rainy season begins, the Nigerian Army has deployed troops across several northern states to ensure the safety of farmers.
This move, particularly focused on the North West and North Central regions, is intended to provide farmers with secure access to their lands, promoting a smooth planting season that is crucial for achieving a bumper harvest.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, highlighted the deployment in a statement, noting that it has already facilitated safer farming activities.
“This initiative has enabled several farmers to access their fields, ensuring a hitch-free planting season,” said Buba.
The deployment comes as Nigeria grapples with severe food shortages, exacerbated by a food inflation rate exceeding 40 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In June 2024, the country’s inflation rate peaked at 34.19 percent before slightly declining to 33.40 percent in July.
The NBS reported that the food inflation rate in June 2024 was 40.87 percent year-on-year, driven by rising prices of staple foods like millet, garri, yam, and various oils.
This marked a significant increase from June 2023, when food inflation stood at 25.25 percent.
The report also indicated that the average annual rate of food inflation for the 12 months ending in June 2024 was 35.35 percent, a notable rise from the 24.03 percent recorded in June 2023.
Food inflation was highest in Edo (47.34 percent), Kogi (46.37 percent), and Cross River (45.28 percent) on a year-on-year basis, while Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Adamawa states saw the slowest increases.
Experts have pointed to insecurity, inadequate equipment, and other challenges as major obstacles to food production in Nigeria.
In response to the worsening food crisis, the Federal Government has implemented several measures, including suspending duties and tariffs on the importation of key food items like maize, rice, wheat, and cowpeas for 150 days.
Additionally, the government approved the procurement of 2,000 tractors and 1,200 trailers and established a committee to address the food crisis.
