As Nigeria battles with severe food shortages and inflation rates surpassing 40%, the Nigerian Army has been deployed to protect farmers in the northern states, ensuring a smoother planting season.
In a statement, the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, stated that the deployment, primarily in the North West and North Central regions, aims to safeguard farmers and facilitate a more productive planting season, potentially leading to a bumper harvest.
This intervention is as a result of the critical food inflation in the country, with a significant increase from 25.25% in the previous year to 40.87% as of June 2024.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlights that food inflation has rapidly risen due to increased prices of staple items such as millet, garri, and yam, as well as oils and fish. The overall inflation rate reached 34.19% in June before slightly decreasing to 33.40% in July.
To curb the escalating food crisis, the Federal Government has introduced several measures, including suspending import duties on essential food items like maize, rice, wheat, and cowpeas for 150 days, and procuring 2,000 tractors and 1,200 trailers.
Additionally, a committee has been formed to address and propose solutions to the ongoing food crisis.
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