The Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) has estimated according to the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) report of March 2021, that about 2.8million people in 16 Northern states are currently faced with food and nutrition insecurity due to climate change, insecurity, farmers herders clashes and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National President of SWOFON, Mary Afan stated this at a 2-day National Gender Policy in Agriculture for small holders women farmers organized by ActionAid Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja .
According to her, the 16 Northern states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno,Gombe,Jigawa , Kaduna , Kano, Katsina , Kebbi , Niger, Plateau , Taraba , Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara and FCT.
She said apart from these 16 Northern states, other states are also faced with food and nutrition insecurity due to similar factors mentioned above while food and nutrition insecurity is further exacerbated across Nigeria through post-harvest losses of about N3.5trillion annually.
She recommended that humanitarian and food voucher interventions should be carried out across Nigeria while massive investments should focus on tackling post -harvest losses and farmers herders clashes to bring us out of this situation.
