Over 3.7 million people in northeast Nigeria are grappling with severe food insecurity as ongoing conflict continues to displace families and restrict farmers’ access to land. Once the backbone of local communities, farmers now face long and dangerous journeys to tend their fields amid persistent violence.
Modu Umar, a community leader from Dikwa, explained the dire situation: “Right now, we face severe food shortages. Some families walk long distances daily to collect and sell firewood just to afford food.” Farmers like 70-year-old Churi Ibrahim endure exhausting three-hour treks to their farms, often barely able to harvest enough to sustain their families during the lean season.
Despite overwhelming challenges, farmers remain resolute. Bintu Konto, a mother of five, shared, “Even when you’re afraid, you have to go. If you don’t farm during the rainy season, you’ll have nothing to eat.” However, many households are forced to severely reduce their food intake as the lean season progresses, unable to afford basic staples.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has been providing humanitarian aid in the region, highlights the growing malnutrition crisis, particularly among children under five and vulnerable women. The organization supports malnutrition stabilization centers and community education programs, while launching agricultural initiatives to promote food production during both rainy and dry seasons.
This year, over 21,000 farming households received locally adapted seeds and planting tools to boost efficiency and crop diversity, including staples like rice, maize, tomatoes, and okra. In partnership with Nigeria’s National Agricultural Seed Council, the ICRC also repaired a critical water source to sustain seed testing and greenhouse operations, reinforcing long-term agricultural resilience.
Diana Japaridze, Head of the ICRC office in Maiduguri, emphasized the urgency: “The lean season in this conflict-affected area is a harsh reality that forces families to make impossible choices. Farming remains their best hope for survival.”
For many families like Churi Ibrahim’s, food scarcity means going without meals for entire days. Humanitarian agencies continue to call for increased support to protect livelihoods and stem the growing hunger crisis in northeast Nigeria.
