Invest In Storage, Processing To Cut Food Imports, Farmers Urge

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has referred to as for extra funding in storage, processing, transportation and market entry to cut back Nigeria’s dependence on imported meals.

The group spoke yesterday as Nigeria joined the remainder of the world to mark the 2026 World Food Day, themed “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.”

AFAN’s deputy nationwide president, Daniel Okafor, mentioned governments, buyers and different stakeholders ought to rethink their strategy and prioritise the whole agricultural worth chain, not simply manufacturing.

Citing Africa’s reported annual meals import invoice of greater than $100 billion, Okafor argued that greater farm output alone wouldn’t assure meals safety if farmers lacked the amenities and market hyperlinks to protect, course of and promote their produce profitably.

“For too long, farmers have faced challenges with inadequate storage facilities, limited processing capacity, poor logistics, restricted access to finance and weak connections to profitable markets,” he mentioned.

He mentioned these gaps typically pressure farmers to promote at low costs, whereas shoppers proceed to pay excessive costs for meals and the continent spends big sums importing it.

Mounting strain on meals system from insecurity, excessive agricultural manufacturing prices, financial shocks and dependence on imported meals nonetheless push hundreds of thousands into acute starvation and threatens meals safety.

The challenges persist regardless of the federal authorities’s declaration of a state of emergency on meals safety in  2023 and subsequent interventions aimed toward growing home manufacturing, enhancing meals availability and stabilising costs.

In locations just like the north-east, north-central and different locations the place extended battle, displacement and disruptions to farming and buying and selling actions have weakened livelihoods, households’ skill to provide or buy enough meals have declined.

The newest Cadre Harmonisé meals safety evaluation estimated that 36.3 million Nigerians have confronted acute meals insecurity at disaster degree or worse between June and August 2026 as a result of insecurity, financial shocks, excessive meals costs and climate-related disruptions.

Speaking on the event of World Food Day, the minister of state for agriculture and meals safety,  Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, mentioned the federal government was pursuing a complete technique to extend manufacturing, scale back post-harvest losses and strengthen agricultural worth chains.

The minister mentioned extra personnel from the army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and agro-rangers had been being deployed to guard farmlands, alongside enhanced cooperation between safety companies and farming communities.

According to him, agriculture additionally recorded 4.39 per cent development within the second quarter of 2026, whereas crop manufacturing expanded by 3.66 per cent, citing National Bureau of Statistics figures.

Abdullahi mentioned the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket programme had supported smallholder farmers to provide 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple meals over 4 farming seasons.

He additionally put Nigeria’s annual home wheat manufacturing at roughly 420,000 metric tonnes, in contrast with a earlier baseline of 120,000 tonnes.

“We are implementing a comprehensive approach to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a productive, resilient, competitive and investment-driven sector capable of feeding our population and contributing substantially to economic growth”, the minister mentioned.

In distinction, Nigeria’s dependence on imported meals has added one other dimension to the problem.

According to report from the United States Department of Agriculture and World Grains, Nigeria imported 10.1 million tonnes of grain within the 2025/2026 advertising yr.

Wheat imports accounted for six.7 million tonnes, up from 6.25 million tonnes within the earlier yr, whereas rice imports stood at 3.2 million tonnes. Maize imports additionally rose to 260,000 tonnes from between 125,000 and 135,000 tonnes in earlier durations.

Central Bank of Nigeria information additionally confirmed that the nation spent $2.34 billion on meals imports in 2025. Meanwhile, National Bureau of Statistics figures confirmed that Nigeria’s imports of meals and drinks elevated from N6.58 trillion in 2024 to N7.65 trillion in 2025, representing a rise of N1.07 trillion, or 16.34 per cent.

FAO, farmers name for sensible innovation

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has referred to as for elevated funding in agricultural innovation and climate-resilient farming to spice up meals manufacturing, scale back rural poverty and enhance Nigerians’ entry to secure, nutritious and reasonably priced meals.

FAO mentioned reworking Nigeria’s agrifood methods would require scaling up confirmed agricultural options, strengthening partnerships and making certain that farmers and different meals producers have entry to the applied sciences, financing and assets wanted to enhance productiveness.

FAO maintained that attaining sustainable meals methods would rely not solely on creating new options but additionally on making certain that current and rising improvements reached the folks accountable for producing, processing and distributing meals.

FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr Hussein Gadain, mentioned innovation should ship tangible enhancements in livelihoods, meals manufacturing and diet, significantly for weak communities.

Gadain mentioned: “Every innovation begins with knowledge, and every harvest begins with a hand. By investing in people, fostering innovation and strengthening partnerships, we can build resilient agrifood systems, improve nutrition and ensure that no Nigerian is left behind.”

He added: “Life-changing innovation delivers its greatest impact when it reaches the people who need it most. Partnerships and investment must therefore help move proven solutions from ideas into the hands of producers and communities.”

Representing the FAO consultant in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Jimmy Owani, mentioned the problem was not merely to provide extra meals however to make sure that meals was accessible, reasonably priced, nutritious and sustainably produced.

He referred to as for stronger partnerships amongst governments, researchers, farmers, monetary establishments, the non-public sector and growth companions to translate agricultural improvements into measurable enhancements in family meals safety.

“For unusual Nigerians, meals safety means one thing easy and sensible: having ample, secure and nutritious meals on the desk on daily basis at a value they will afford.

For a mom in Abuja, Kano, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Jos or every other group throughout the nation, innovation means decreasing the price of producing, transporting, processing and advertising meals in order that wholesome diets change into extra reasonably priced and accessible for her household.

The central message of World Food Day 2026 is that innovation delivers its biggest influence when it reaches the individuals who want it most.The advantages of innovation should not stay confined to laboratories, analysis establishments or coverage discussions.

Meanwhile, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has referred to as for elevated funding in agricultural processing, storage, transportation and market entry to cut back dependence on imported meals and strengthen native meals methods.

Speaking on the import invoice, the deputy nationwide president of AFAN, Daniel  Okafor mentioned governments, buyers and different agricultural stakeholders ought to  rethink their strategy to meals manufacturing and prioritise the whole agricultural worth chain.

Citing  Africa’s reported annual meals import invoice of greater than $100 billion, the farmers chief argued that growing farm output alone wouldn’t assure meals safety if farmers lacked the amenities and market connections wanted to protect, course of and promote their produce profitably.

He mentioned, “For too lengthy, farmers have confronted challenges with insufficient storage amenities, restricted processing capability, poor logistics, restricted entry to finance and weak connections to worthwhile markets.

These challenges typically pressure farmers to promote their produce at low costs, whereas shoppers proceed to face excessive meals costs and the continent spends big assets importing meals”.

According to Okafor, insufficient storage, restricted processing capability, poor logistics, restricted entry to finance and weak hyperlinks to worthwhile markets typically pressure farmers to promote their produce at low costs, at the same time as shoppers proceed to pay excessive costs for meals.