Our previous article, Food Security in Nigeria: Understanding the Issues, highlighted critical challenges affecting Nigeria’s smallholder farmers, as reported by our Farmers’ Hub managers working with over 5,000 farmers in their communities. These include limited access to agricultural inputs, limited financial resources, post-harvest losses, and inadequate infrastructure.
It’s worth noting that addressing Nigeria’s food security challenges demands a holistic approach that tackles these root issues while ensuring sustainability. Previous interventions—such as government subsidy programmes, microcredit schemes, and donor-driven agricultural projects—have had limited impact. While some initiatives offered short-term relief, they often failed to reach the most vulnerable farmers or lacked the infrastructure for lasting change. For example, inefficiencies in the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) from 2017-2021 left many farmers without access to inputs, while high-interest microfinance loans frequently deepened farmers’ debt. The absence of local processing and storage facilities also contributed to significant post-harvest losses, reducing farmers’ profits.
This article explores solutions to these challenges, highlighting interventions by the Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS), which supports smallholder farmers to foster a more food-secure Nigeria.
Solutions to Food Security Challenges in Nigeria
1. Enhancing Access to Quality Inputs
Limited access to high-quality inputs like seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides significantly impacts agricultural productivity. Past government fertiliser subsidy programmes, plagued by poor distribution and corruption, delivered no meaningful results.
Successful models from other African countries demonstrate the value of comprehensive interventions. For instance, Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) increased agricultural productivity by providing improved seed varieties and training on best practices, achieving yield increases of up to 30% in crops like wheat and maize.
In Nigeria, FSSS’s Farmers’ Hubs address this gap by establishing Seed Hubs, which ensure farmers access high-quality seeds adapted to local environmental conditions. These hubs also promote community-based seed production, enabling farmers to cultivate and share region-specific seeds. By improving seed access, FSSS enhances productivity and encourages sustainable agricultural practices.
2. Reducing Post-Harvest Losses through Processing Facilities
Post-harvest losses in Nigeria remain a significant challenge, particularly for crops like cassava, maize, and rice. A lack of local processing facilities results in spoilage, reduced incomes, and increased food insecurity.
Investing in processing facilities has yielded success elsewhere, like in Uganda, where maize milling centres have reduced post-harvest losses while improving farmers’ access to markets and extending the shelf life of produce.
Similarly, FSSS, in partnership with organisations like OCP Africa, has established processing facilities for rice and cowpeas in states like Nasarawa and Benue. These centres help farmers process crops locally, reduce spoilage, and improve market access. By adding value to their produce, farmers can earn higher returns and mitigate post-harvest risks.
3. Developing Agricultural Infrastructure
Nigeria’s agricultural sector suffers from poor road networks, unreliable irrigation, and inadequate storage facilities. These deficiencies increase transportation costs, limit market access, and reduce the quality of produce.
Innovative infrastructure projects in other African countries offer valuable lessons. For example, Kenya has successfully implemented solar-powered irrigation systems in arid regions, enabling year-round farming and reducing dependence on erratic rainfall. In Rwanda, road rehabilitation projects have enhanced market access, cutting transportation costs and ensuring produce reaches markets in better condition.
To replicate such successes, Nigeria must prioritise investments in critical infrastructure that supports agricultural productivity and market integration.
4. Expanding Access to Affordable Credit
Smallholder farmers in Nigeria face significant barriers to accessing affordable credit, often due to high interest rates and poorly tailored financial products. While the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) has improved credit access for some farmers, challenges remain.
Building on this foundation, Nigeria can develop more inclusive financial models that provide affordable loans with sustainable repayment plans. Expanding digital financial services and offering crop-specific insurance could further enhance financial inclusion for smallholder farmers.
5. Strengthening Capacity Building and Extension Services
Equipping farmers with modern agricultural knowledge and skills is vital for improving productivity and sustainability. However, many training programmes fail to reach farmers or address their specific needs.
FSSS’s Farmers’ Hubs provide tailored training in sustainable farming, pest management, and regenerative agriculture. These hubs also serve as demonstration centres, allowing farmers to learn by observing modern techniques in practice. For instance, the Gwagwalada Hub in Abuja can train up to 70 farmers at a time, empowering them to adopt practices that boost yields and ensure long-term sustainability.
Conclusion
Achieving food security in Nigeria requires coordinated efforts from governments, donors, and the private sector. Successful examples from Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda illustrate that targeted investments in agricultural inputs, infrastructure, and financial access can drive tangible improvements.
FSSS is building on these models, tailoring them to Nigeria’s unique context, and equipping farmers with the tools to thrive. By focusing on sustainable solutions, Nigeria can secure a future where every citizen has access to sufficient, nutritious food.
We call on all stakeholders to prioritise agricultural innovation, infrastructure development, and farmer empowerment. Together, we can build a resilient agricultural sector, reduce post-harvest losses, and ensure food security for generations to come.
