Imported N98tr ($628b) Food In 2007-2010' In 2010, Spent N632b On Wheat, N356b On Rice, N217b On Sugar, N97b On Fish' Spent About N1 billion Per Day On Rice Alone' Produces 500,000 Tons Of Rice, Consumes 2.5m TonsTHERE are indications that the Jonathan administration has much more to worry about than the deadly Boko Haram ambush, removal of controversial petroleum subsidy and ethnic identity crisis simply classified as federal character challenges in power sharing that have emerged as an albatross for the six-month-old administration.Typical in the polity, political stories have always conspired to dominate the front pages and prime time news, thus pushing to the background critical issues about why the country's economy is in more danger than we think.And this is what has happened to the story of Nigeria's unreported, but deadly food import scandal, although the government has had occasions to draw attention to the remarkable development.On September 9, 2011, when the establishment began a series of public relations blitz, through the instrumentality of the Federal Executive Council members' media briefing to mark the Jonathan Administration 100 days in office, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, took his turn.The doctoral graduate of Purdue University and former vice president (Policy & Partnership), at the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), told the media that food imports had been one of the most critical challenges in Nigeria.But the reporters, who covered the briefing, could not put the data quoted by the former FAO chief in good context, to make meaning to the populace.In the same vein, on September 27, 2011, when The Sun (newspapers) publicly presented its book, Nigeria's Golden Book, at the Yar'Adua Centre in Abuja, the governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who gave a keynote address, quoted extensively from the data released by the Minister.Mimiko told the captive audience that he had called the agriculture minister the previous day (September 26) to confirm the scandalous facts and figures on Nigeria's food import profile.Curiously, the political aspect of Mimiko's presentation, which harped on alleged mismanagement of federalism, dominated the front pages and prime time on radio and television.Even the chief host of the event, The Sun, did not report the most significant aspect of the Mimiko exposition: 'the food insecurity aspect' in its proper context.Again, last Monday, October 10, 2011, Oxfam Nigeria organised a Media Forum (Editors' Roundtable) to mark this year's World Food Day at the Bolton White Hotel in Garki 2, Abuja. The issue of 'the role of the media in promoting food security in Nigeria' was the highlight of the discussion.A member of the National Assembly, Nkoyo Toyo (Cross River) and an international director of Oxfam, was there and she spoke extensively on the unreported issue of 'land grab' in Nigeria within the context of food security in the country.Toyo, a development sector activist, was, until recently, Nigeria's envoy to Ethiopia.Yet, the issue of food insecurity and scandalous food import data that dominated discussion at the forum went into obscurity, especially in the print media.Specifically, the following is the food import scandalous data that has reportedly added to the worrying list of President Jonathan, who's smarting from the fallout of government's resolve to remove fuel subsidy in January next year.Mimiko had this to say on agriculture and definitely food security in Nigeria:'From independence in 1960, Nigeria is yet to surmount the challenge of good governance.Nothing demonstrates this claim better than the grim realities of our national life.'Ours is a nation sitting on abundant natural resources with fertile land but completely unable to feed its citizens.The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, recently noted that:'Nigeria is now one of the largest food importers in the world.According to him, the food import bill of Nigeria in 2007-2010 was N98 trillion or $628 billion. In 2010 alone, Nigeria spent N632 billion on importation of wheat, N356 billion on importation of rice (that means we spent N1 billion per day on rice alone), N217 billion on sugar importation and with all the marine resources, rivers, lakes and creeks we are blessed with, Nigeria spent N97 billion importing fish.''The simple calculation from the above is that Nigeria spends on the average N24.5 trillion yearly, which is about $160 billion.This revelation is certainly unwholesome if one considers that Nigeria has over 74 mha of arable lands and yet a net importer of food as of today.'This is a clear departure from the reality of Nigeria in the 1960s when agriculture provided the main source of employment, income and foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria.The advent of commercial oil exploitation in the mid 1970s, no doubt, heralded an era of decay for agricultural output in Nigeria.'It is interesting to note that as a nation today, we produce 500,000 tonnes of rice whereas we consume 2.5 million tonnes.'SIMILARLY at the said Oxfam forum in Abuja last Monday, the following facts on Nigeria's food security status emerged from the main presentation by a senior journalist, who quoted copiously from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) fact sheet on Nigeria:' Nigeria has a land area of 98.3 million ha; 74 million ha is good for farming; but less than half is being explored.' The population involved in farming is 60-70%.' Agriculture's contribution to GDP is also 41.5%.' Output of food per capita is among the least in SSA (South Sahara Africa).' Crops, livestock and fish have potentials for providing food and nutrition.Emerging Paradox:' Yet, there is threat of hunger and poverty; 70% of the population live on less than N100 ($ 0.7) per day.' Youth unemployment is embarrassing.' Smallholder farmers constitute 80% of all farm holdings; their production system is inefficient; there is regular shortfall in national domestic production.' Food import is thus a common feature.Only Few Hopes:' Agriculture is a key sector that can affect majority of Nigerians.Food Security Situation Food Security Status:' This is a fundamental agricultural objective in Nigeria:' Households should have access to good and nutritious food for healthy living.'Population should be healthy to create national wealth.Fundamental Issues of Food Security:' Is Food Available'' Domestic food production is on the increase but not enough to meet national food demand.' Is Supply of Food Stable'' Post harvest losses are 20-40%, because harvesting, processing/storage techniques are inefficient; as a result, supply is unstable.' Do people have Access to Food'' Access to adequate and nutritious food is limited by low income/poverty, because nutritious foods are sometimes expensive.' What is Food Utilization like'' Food in-take and nutritional wellbeing of many households are of relatively low quality; and are affected by their low economic status.' The vulnerable and food insecure include the poor, smallholder farmers, children, pregnant women, lactating mothers and the elderly.About 60.8% Nigerians are malnourished.' Prevalent Deficiency Diseases:' Iron deficiency, which affects physical capacity, and in severe cases lead to death and susceptibility to infections.' Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM), which causes growth failure in children, and weight loss in adults; relationship exists between PEM and infections like measles, diarrhoea, whooping cough, tuberculosis, and malaria.' Vitamin A, deficiency, which fights resistance to infections.' Obesity, which is on the increase, affects more of urban dwellers; and results from imbalanced nutrition. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases accompany it.' Problem of the vulnerable and food insecurity can be addressed by reducing poverty, accessibility of households to adequate and nutritious food all the time.' If nothing is done about the shortfalls, it may sooner than expected become too intricate to manage.Food Export:' Nigeria is a net food importer.' Food export trade was between 0.04m and 0.35m during 1999-2001.Managing Food Production for Increased Growth:' Food production must grow consistently well above demand to bridge shortfalls.BESIDES, on October 4, 2011, at a National Stakeholders' Workshop on Development of Aquaculture Value Chain, the Agriculture Minister also reiterated that Nigeria spent about N100 billion on the importation of frozen fish in 2010.While lamenting the shortfall of fish supply in the country, he noted that the estimated annual fish demand is about 2.66 million as against the annual domestic production of about 0.78 million, giving a demand-supply gap of about 1.8 million metric tons.The minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, disclosed that Nigeria imports over 780,000 metric tons of frozen fish annually from Europe, Latin America and the Eastern countries.He regretted that the shortfall of fish supply in the country had led to a low annual per capita fish consumption rate of only 7.5kg as against 15kg per annum as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).The minister noted that increase in national fish production would not only diversify the country's resources base, but would also complement efforts aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals.Dr. Adesina said the potential yield of Nigerian aquaculture resources had been estimated at over 4.0 million metric tons annually, which could conveniently meet the national demand of 2.66 million metric tons and generate considerable export earnings, provided adequate and effective policies are put in place to drive the industry.He said Nigeria is proudly the most resourceful and vibrant African nation in the Aquaculture industry and currently the leading producer of catfish in Africa.But he said, 'it is sad to note that we are still far behind in our efforts at adding value to our aquaculture products, thereby often leading to artificial glut, low value of non-exportable aquaculture products.'The minister, however, stressed the need to develop guidelines and policies that would create favourable climate for more investment opportunities across the aquaculture value chain and at the same time provide safeguards against environmental and social risks.He added that to enhance the productivity of artisanal and industrial fisheries as well as aquaculture, the agriculture transformation agenda of the current administration would focus on management and sustainable development of fisheries resources in the sea, lakes, lagoons, rivers and reservoirs in the country as well as improvement of aquaculture production.He stated that an estimated 10 million Nigerians could be actively engaged in the upstream and downstream areas of fisheries operations, which could also provide raw materials for the animal feeds industry.
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