Is achieving food security in Nigeria a mirage, a pipe dream, or a false hope? Food security has evolved from just quantitative factors of adequacy and sufficiency to encompass qualitative aspects of nutrition, dietary quality, and timely availability of the right food for the right people in the correct amounts. Beyond the definition of food security, a demographic factor needed to reach this goal in Nigeria poses significant challenges for policymakers and implementers.
When Nigeria gained independence in 1960, its population was approximately 45 million. As I write this piece, the Nigerian population has soared in geometric proportion to 236 million, more than five times its size over the past 65 years. The demographic trend in Nigeria is expected to position the country as the third most populous nation after India and China within the next twenty years. Yet, there are no known policies at the federal, state, or local government levels to slow this trend down. We are beating our chest, boasting of our population size with little or no food on the dining table. This is not just a problem; it is a crisis that demands immediate attention and action from our government.
Food security in Nigeria is not just critical; it is urgent. From June to August 2024, over 26 million people out of an estimated population of 229.5 million faced acute hunger. These are not just numbers; they represent real people and families struggling to put food on the table. According to statistics, this year, approximately 84 million Nigerians—37% of the total population—live below the poverty line as of January 13, 2025. The consequences of severe food insecurity include poverty, violent crime, and corruption, which hinder the nation’s development and make governance ineffective and unimportant to the people’s lives.
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) Report for 2024 places Nigeria among the ten countries responsible for 87 percent of global terrorism-related deaths, with its share at 6 percent. The report states, “Nigeria experienced its first increase in terrorism in three years in 2023, with total deaths rising by 34 percent to 524, marking the highest death toll since 2020, driven by a surge in the conflict between ISWA and Boko Haram.” The country’s large population, economic disparities, and inadequate law enforcement infrastructure exacerbate the situation, necessitating targeted interventions. This troubling trend discourages investments, hinders business growth, and limits job creation opportunities. Still, is achieving food security possible amid this chaotic and daunting situation? Despite the calamitous trend, Nigeria’s resilience’s elasticity seems limitless, bringing a ray of hope. Adding to this hope, a few organizations are diligently working to change the narrative. SAA is among these notable organizations.
Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) is a well-known organization that works tirelessly with smallholder farmers in several states to help achieve food security and alleviate poverty.
SAA, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, arises from intense discussions, negotiations, and the dedicated efforts of three significant individuals committed to eradicating African hunger and poverty. Each of these individuals reached the pinnacle of his career but found humanitarian service an excellent vocation to enhance his resume. The three men were Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa (deceased), a prominent global billionaire philanthropist; Dr. Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate; and former US President Jimmy Carter. SAA arrived in Africa in 1986 and Nigeria in 1992. Although all three founders of SAA have passed away, their legacy continues to flourish, benefiting humanity significantly. Today, SAA has spent 33 years and invested billions of US dollars in building the capacity and support of over 20 million smallholder farmers with improved production, processing, and marketing technologies across 22 states in Nigeria. I have written a few articles about SAA in this column, and a book titled “Sasakawa Africa Association: Three Decades of Fight against Hunger and Poverty in Nigeria” was unveiled last year. The book can be accessed online.
Over the past three decades, SAA has significantly enhanced food security in Nigeria. SAA’s work has not only improved crop productivity but also transformed the lives of smallholder farmers. For instance, the average maize yield in Nigeria without SAA intervention is 1.5 tons per hectare, a fraction of its potential yield of 8 tons per hectare. However, farmers involved in SAA have shown impressive progress in crop productivity. A field evaluation report of SAA activities in Nigeria over the first ten years revealed substantial increases in crop yields for six promoted crops, ranging from 102% for cowpea to 347% for maize. This means doubling yields for cowpea and sesame, quadrupling for rice and wheat, tripling for millet, and quintupling for maize per unit of production area. In the last five years, the average key performance indicators for four major crops have shown significant improvement, with maize yields increasing from 1.36 to 5.21 tons per hectare, wheat from 1.73 to 4.5 tons per hectare, millet from 1.2 to 3.5 tons per hectare, and cassava from 9 to 30 tons per hectare.
With Nigeria’s population explosion, climate change, soil fertility deterioration, and the global economic downturn, SAA has intensified its efforts to support Nigeria in achieving food security. It has developed a model integrating Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services with regenerative agriculture. During a two-day Annual Stakeholders Review Workshop held on March 11th and 12th, 2025, at Denis Hotel in Abuja, participants were presented impressive results from SAA’s 2024 activities and its 2025 work plan. The workshop focused on digital financial services and Artificial intelligence (AI) in Agriculture, highlighting their potential to improve productivity and income in sub-Saharan Africa. The discussion emphasized the importance of gender inclusivity, partnership, and digitization in addressing food security challenges in Nigeria. A review of the farmer-extension agent ratio in the country indicated the average to be around 10,000:1, which is practically impossible to function. Nigeria’s teeming population can only solve its sluggish and overloaded ‘farmer-extension’ agent ratio by digitizing and commercializing agricultural extension services at an affordable rate. The expansion of digital agriculture can lead to sustainable food security through advisory across value-chain activities and stable crops. However, digital services cannot eradicate human extension services in the country. Both extension services will be complimentary and work symbiotically. Participants agreed that access to digitization alone cannot provide the maximum benefit without fully utilizing the services nested in the App.
The SAA model is a valuable and effective tool for transforming the existing narrative in the challenging battle against hunger and achieving food security in a nation where population growth outpaces food production. Notably, the SAA activities consistently cascade down the ladder to reach more individuals while incorporating elements of sustainability.
Reflecting on the extraordinary outcomes of SAA activities, the staff of the SAA-Nigeria office, led by Country Director Dr. Godwin Atser and his Deputy Dr. Abdulhamid Gambo, are all Nigerians and indeed champions of regenerative agriculture and digital extension services. They diligently work to support Nigeria in achieving food security. In SAA, agriculture is always seen as a business venture rather than a hobby.
The SAA’s modus operandi involves sourcing technology, packaging, disseminating information through physical demonstrations, and evaluating results as evidence for adoption. This strategy is implemented in select communities alongside government officials, allowing the government to adapt and expand for broader outreach. Can federal and state governments adopt the SAA model for widespread replication nationwide to achieve the desired food security in Nigeria? SAA is eager to partner in serving Nigeria’s people as envisioned by the three esteemed SAA founders of blessed memory. The ball is in the government’s court for swift results, as there is no need to reinvent the wheel; it already exists.
