The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has raised concerns over worsening food insecurity in northeast Nigeria, where over 3.7 million people are currently at risk, particularly in areas impacted by ongoing conflict.
According to an official statement, the ICRC noted that many affected individuals were once self-reliant farmers but have been displaced by years of violence. These disruptions have severely limited access to farmland, hampered food production, and undermined local livelihoods.
“Right now, we face severe food shortages,” said Modu Umar, a community leader in Dikwa. “Some families walk long distances daily to gather firewood just to afford a meal.”
Insecurity has also restricted farming activities. A 70-year-old farmer from Gajibo, Churi Ibrahim, explained: “Some people trek three hours to reach their farms. By the time you get there, you’re exhausted, and when you return home, it’s late.”
Despite the risks, many continue farming as a matter of survival. “Even when you’re afraid, you have to go,” said Bintu Konto, a mother of five. “If you don’t farm during the rainy season, you’ll have nothing to eat.”
As the lean season sets in and food stocks diminish, the financial strain on households intensifies. Diana Japaridze, Head of the ICRC office in Maiduguri, said many families cannot afford adequate food, forcing them to reduce their intake significantly.
The situation is also driving malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women. In response, the ICRC supports malnutrition stabilization centres and community education initiatives to help families care for vulnerable children.
To strengthen long-term food security, the ICRC has launched an agricultural assistance programme that supports both rainy and dry season farming. Over 21,000 farming households have received seeds adapted to local conditions and seed-planting tools to reduce labour and improve productivity. Crops include rice, maize, tomatoes, and okra—selected to boost dietary diversity and nutritional value.
Farmers are also being trained in sustainable agriculture to ensure continuity of food production beyond the ICRC’s presence. On a broader scale, the ICRC, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), recently rehabilitated a vital water source to support seed testing and greenhouse operations.
Still, the lean season remains a critical challenge. “For a large family like mine, sometimes we don’t even get one meal a day,” Ibrahim lamented.
