The Federal Government says the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment should not be turned into a political campaign message.
The Cadre Harmonisé is an assessment tool developed by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) and its regional and technical partners, with support from organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.
Kyari said the assessment did not originate from him or the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
“I have taken note of attempts by some opposition voices to twist the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment into a political campaign message. This is deeply unfortunate.
“The assessment does not say that 33.5 million Nigerians will face food insecurity if President Bola Tinubu is re-elected in 2027.
“That interpretation was added for political purposes. It is disheartening to see food insecurity being used as a political tool.
“Exploiting the struggles of Nigerians is not patriotism, but a great disservice to our nation.
“Food and nutrition insecurity is a serious national challenge, and as the minister responsible for agriculture and food security, I will not shy away from acknowledging it.
“But we must also be honest about what the data actually says,” he said.
“It is not an election forecast. The assessment gives us an early warning, and our responsibility is to respond to it.
“That is exactly what the government is doing under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
He said the assessment identified several factors driving food and nutrition insecurity, most of which are influenced by global events and environmental changes.
“Climate change is the biggest culprit. Inconsistent rainfall and prolonged dry spells have made it difficult for our farmers to rely on rain-fed agriculture,” he said.
He said the government was expanding access to fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, increasing mechanisation, expanding irrigation and dry-season farming, and strengthening agricultural financing.
The minister said the government was also improving access to farmland, investing in storage and processing, developing value chains and promoting climate-resilient agriculture.
“Importantly, improved security in several farming communities is allowing farmers who were previously unable to access their farmland to return and resume production.
“This is critical because food security cannot be achieved without farmers being able to cultivate their land safely.
“We have also made significant progress in fertiliser distribution and local blending, supporting smallholder farmers across the country.
“We will also advance major mechanisation partnerships, expand dry-season production and strengthen agricultural financing through the Bank of Agriculture,” he said.
According to him, food insecurity is a longstanding, structural challenge that has developed over many years and predates the current administration.
“The important thing is that we are confronting it directly, investing in production and building the systems needed to make our food supply more resilient.
“It is, however, important to acknowledge that agriculture has recorded significant progress since President Tinubu assumed office.
“As minister, I accept the responsibility that comes with this challenge. When the data identifies a risk, our duty is to act on it, not hide from it,” he said.
He urged political actors to exercise responsibility when discussing food security data.
“Millions of Nigerians are affected by these challenges. Their food, livelihoods and wellbeing should never be reduced to political talking points. We welcome scrutiny. We welcome constructive criticism.
“The Cadre Harmonisé has given us important information about where vulnerabilities may emerge.
“We will use that information to strengthen our interventions, support farmers, protect livelihoods and improve access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.
“That is our responsibility, and that is the work we remain committed to,” Kyari said.
