OXFAM Nigeria, a subsidiary of Oxfam International, has advised the Nigerian government to focus on agro-ecological production that is less dependent on imports of feed and agricultural inputs, and more resilient to climate change impacts, to avoid a food crisis due to the Russia/Ukraine war.
Oxfam International Country Director in Nigeria, Dr Vincent Ahonsi, made this known while addressing the press. He noted that governments must support the development of sustainable, resilient, and local food systems, based on small-scale production and family farming to tackle the impact of the rise in food prices.
The name “Oxfam” was formed from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942, to send food to starving women and children during the Second World War, currently in about 70 countries, with thousands of partners and allies.
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The organization then shifted its work after the war to focus on sending materials and financial aid to groups aiding poor people throughout Europe and began paying attention to the needs of people in developing countries, after improvement in Europe.
According to Ahonsi, Nigeria needs a food system that works for everybody, a food system that can stand against shocks such as the climate crisis and rapid food inflation in international food markets, and one that does not contribute to environmental destruction.
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He noted that the crisis in Ukraine has led to an estimate of up to 20 percent increase in food prices worldwide in the last few weeks, despite the fact that wages remain the same, adding that UN estimated that food prices in Sub-Saharan Africa were 30-40% higher than the rest of the world before the Ukraine war.
“There is an urgent need for the government to implement universal and adequate social protection measures to support the people, ensuring that the poorest and most vulnerable people have social protection. He noted
