Nigeria’s northern states at risk of food crisis – World Bank

The World Bank says seven northern states in Nigeria are at risk of food insecurity in 2024.

In its latest food security report, the World Bank stated that insecurity and armed conflicts would plunge three northeastern states and four northwestern states into a food crisis.

The states highlighted are Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.

“It is projected that most areas in West and Central Africa will remain minimally food insecure (IPC Phase 1) until May 2024, with some being categorized as Stressed IPC 2.

“Nigeria (far north of Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara states) will be at crisis food security levels (IPC Phase 3), mostly because of persistent insecurity and armed conflict and deteriorating livelihoods,” it stated.

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The World Bank added that areas in Northeastern states such as Abadam, Bama, Guzamala, Marte and others will experience Emergency food security levels (IPC Phase 4) as a result of limited household food stock and access to market and humanitarian aid.

According to the report, over 63.2% of low-income countries experienced inflation levels surpassing 5%, marking a 1.3%-point increase compared to the previous food update on January 17, 2023.

Newspot reports that Nigeria has been battling with a food crisis leading to the high cost of food items in the market, due to the inability of farmers to go to farms in the north as a result of banditry ravaging people.