World Food Day: Rising Poverty, Food Insecurity Push More Nigerians to the Brink

Millions of Nigerians are struggling to afford adequate food as rising poverty, high agricultural production costs, insecurity and climate change deepen the country’s food crisis.

The warning comes amid the 2026 World Food Day commemoration, observed annually on October 16, with the theme, “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”

A report by The Guardian published on Saturday highlighted growing concerns over household welfare, noting that the World Bank had estimated Nigeria’s poverty rate at 63 per cent in 2025, representing approximately 140 million people.

The report linked the worsening situation partly to rising living costs, stagnant household incomes and weak growth in agriculture, a major source of livelihood for millions of Nigerians.

Food production has also been affected by flooding, prolonged dry spells, expensive farm inputs and limited access to modern agricultural equipment. These challenges have reduced farmers’ capacity to expand production and made it more difficult to keep food affordable.

According to figures cited in the report, tractor rental costs rose from about ₦80,000 per day in 2023 to ₦205,000 in 2025, placing mechanised farming beyond the reach of many smallholder farmers.

Agricultural stakeholders said Nigeria needed to expand access to improved seeds, irrigation, mechanisation, affordable financing and modern farming technologies to increase productivity and strengthen food supply.

Toluwalope Daramola, founder of Menitos Farm Depot, called for climate-conscious farming and greater investment in food processing. She warned that small-scale farmers were increasingly being squeezed out by larger commercial operators.

Feyikemi Adurogbangba, Strategic Communications Lead at Keselash Agricom, stressed the importance of communicating agricultural innovations effectively so farmers could understand and adopt solutions that improve productivity.

Other experts advocated a long-term agricultural development strategy built around climate-smart practices, irrigation, improved storage and stronger links between farmers and markets.

Beyond production, concerns have also been raised about food safety. Experts warned that the improper use of pesticides and other agrochemicals could expose consumers to harmful residues and create additional public health risks.

They called for stronger monitoring of agricultural chemicals, improved farmer education, investment in safer alternatives and stricter enforcement of food safety standards.

World Food Day provides an annual opportunity for governments, development partners and agricultural stakeholders to renew efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition.

For Nigeria, experts say meaningful progress will require policies that translate into practical support for farmers, reduce food losses and ensure that nutritious food is accessible and affordable to households across the country.