Food Access

As many as four million people in northeast Nigeria currently need emergency food aid due to ongoing conflict and significant depreciation of the Naira, according to FEWS Net’s latest coverage on the region. Large segments of the population in the northeastern part of the country are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity, with limited data suggesting some populations could even be facing possible Famine (IPC Phase 5) food insecurity.

When it comes to policymaking, sound information is key. This is especially true for agriculture and food policies in Africa south of the Sahara, where hunger levels remain the highest in the world (2016 Global Hunger Index) and where agriculture accounts for a significant portion of GDP (17.1 percent in 2014; World Bank).

Nigeria continues to face severe financial and food security challenges as a result of ongoing conflict and economic downturn. In June, the Central Bank allowed the country’s exchange rate to float. According to the Nigerian Market Monitoring Bulletin released last week by FEWS Net, since that time, the Nigerian Naira (NGN) has depreciated by more than 40 percent.

The 2010 European Report on Social Protection for Inclusive Development established a comprehensive definition of social protection, defining the concept as:

‘‘A specific set of actions to address the vulnerability of people’s life through social insurance, offering protection against risk and adversity throughout life; through social assistance, offering payments and in kind transfers to support and enable the poor; and through inclusion efforts that enhance the capability of the marginalised to access social insurance and assistance’’.

The Nigerian Minister of Health has declared a "nutrition emergency" in northeast Nigeria as conflict continues to limit access to food, water, and health services, according to an alert from FEWS Net.