Nigerian Minister Blames COVID-19 And Russia/ukraine War For Rising Food Prices

The Federal Government has attributed the increase in food prices to COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, claiming that bandit attacks on farmers have not had an impact on the nation’s level of food production.
Attacks on farmers have made it difficult to access farms in Nigeria’s north-west and north-central regions, according to the minister of agriculture, Mohammad Abubakar, but the government has deployed Agro-Rangers to increase security.

He claimed that the COVID-19 outbreak and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are to blame for the rise in food prices.

He said the insecurity is a concern for the government, but production has not dropped to any significant level.

“Truly, if they cannot completely access farms all over the country, you will expect a drop in production, but right now we are doing everything possible to make sure both production is maintained through that security provision.” Abubakar disclosed this on Thursday, August 4 during a ministerial briefing.

The Minister explained that:-
“When COVID came, it affected a lot of things including food production and the after effect of that is what we are still facing and that will lag for some time before it is stabilised. I believe the price of rice has dropped a little bit and we are still working on it.

“The whole world is currently reeling out of COVID and now battling the consequences of the war in Ukraine and Russia, but things will stabilise and the ministry of agriculture is doing everything possible in terms of addressing the problem; we are not relenting, so that the prices will come down faster.”

The minister’s statement comes after reports emerged of how farmers have been prevented from accessing their farmlands, especially in several states in the north, due to bandits’ attacks

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