Speaking at the third meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve Management Committee in Abuja on Tuesday, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, underscored the vital role of food reserves in tackling the crisis.
The Minister, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Marcus Ogunbiyi, acknowledged the significance of the ECOWAS Regional Food Reserve Initiative, established in 2013.
“This meeting is taking place at a particularly worrying moment for our region,” Kyari noted, citing conflict, economic instability, and climate change as the major factors contributing to the deteriorating food situation.
34.7 million in urgent need
Drawing from data in the December 2024 Cadre Harmonisé report, Kyari revealed that “nearly 34.7 million people are in immediate need of food and nutritional assistance.”
He called for improved strategies, increased national funding, and better food reserve management to address market volatility and strengthen food security systems. “This calls for a concerted effort to boost food production, enhance strategic food storage, and stabilise market prices while strengthening the administration and management of the regional food reserve,” he said.
Progress made but gaps remain
Kyari highlighted positive strides since the Reserve’s inception, including capacity building, early warning systems, and emergency food deployment. Presently, over 74,000 tonnes of food are stored across the region for emergency purposes.
However, he emphasised the need to enhance governance, operational efficiency, and monitoring of the reserve. “It is crucial to ensure that the instruments and governance of the regional food security reserve are aligned with the challenges we face and our ambitions for the region,” he added. He urged committee members and stakeholders to contribute actively to operational planning and emergency response strategies.
Food crisis could affect 47 million by mid-2025
ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Massandjé Toure-Litse, echoed the urgency of the situation. Speaking through Mohamed Zongo, Acting Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food, she cautioned that food insecurity could affect up to 47 million people by the next lean season between June and August 2025.
“If appropriate measures are not taken, this figure could reach 47 million,” she warned, attributing the crisis to geopolitical tensions, conflicts, economic instability, and the effects of climate change.
Toure-Litse stressed the importance of both immediate action and long-term resilience strategies. “It is imperative that our region enhances its immediate response mechanisms while consolidating the foundations of sustainable resilience,” she said.
She noted that while the Management Committee had not met regularly in recent years, the Bureau formed in December 2019 had convened three times since March 2023. The current meeting aims to assess recent operations and set the strategic direction for 2025, with a focus on supporting communities most affected by food, nutrition, and pastoral crises.
Toure-Litse also expressed appreciation for the continued support from both regional and international partners, including the French Development Agency, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation.
“Our discussions and decisions must ensure transparency, efficiency, and fairness in managing the Reserve while adapting it to present and future challenges,” she concluded.
