By Emmanuel Edukugho
There are fears among many people that the country is most likely to witness food shortage soon after the crippling floods which destroyed several farmlands and submerged many communities across the country.
There are fears among many people that the country is most likely to witness food shortage soon after the crippling floods which destroyed several farmlands and submerged many communities across the country.
As a result many lives were lost, severable people injured and an unestimated number of people were rendered homeless, as their houses have been destroyed.
Mangoes flood Zuba Fruit Market in Abuja on Friday (13/4/12). There Is Need to Preserve Our Seasonal Fruits. NAN Photo
Food is a basic necessity of life, without which man cannot survive. In a country like Nigeria with an estimated population of about 165 million people, high level of unemployment, weak agricultural base, while the ordinary Nigerian can be described as “poor” because he cannot afford a daily consumption of up to one US dollar.
Even before the flood disaster that adversely affected food production, poverty which is already widespread in the country, is inextricably linked with food insufficiency (not having enough to eat some or all the time) and food insecurity (not having enough to eat).
Under nutrition undermines the survival growth and development of not only children but adults also as it diminishes the strength and capacity of the nation. Inadequate nutrition undermines the ability of individuals to develop to their full potentials and contribute meaningfully to nation building.
Technically, food is an Agro-based product. All Foods are of plant or animal origin, and are produced through agricultural works.
How To Tackle Food Shortage – Prof Ogunmoyela
Saturday Vanguard sought the reaction of Professor Gbenga Ogunmoyela of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State on the perceived food shortage and likely high prices of food in the wake of the flooding which swept away farms in parts of the North, South West, South East, Delta, Edo and even south-south.
How do you see the ravaging flood?
First, the flood is destroying crops, animals, especially with the excessive rain, crops have been seriously affected. If there is lack of rainfall, with irrigation, the water levels can be controlled. But the rainfall we are having now has not been seen before.
Ordinarily, we don’t have enough food. So we depend on importation. Food import is basic especially in coastal places. Transregional transportation will be seriously threatened and so food prices and production will be affected.
What are the implications?
Traditionally when such things happen, there will be higher prices of food. People must brace up to this challenge. It’s going to be serious as there will be higher food prices in the country.
Are people likely to survive the flood?
It this trend (of rainfall/flooding) continues, there will be need to look at food processing. People can go for processed, food, that is to say canned food. This is where food science and technology can come in. Canned food is as good as the fresh ones. The question is getting the mindset of the people to accept processed food. Most people are used to fresh tomatoes, pepper, etc.
People should be properly enlightened to accept canned food as alternative to fresh food products. Canned food still have rich nutrients. We just have to change the mindset of the people.
Any other options?
Flood resistance varieties of food crops can also be grown. We should look for flood resistant crops and seeds. There are maize variety which can mature quickly after planting and also flood resistant rice variety. This is specialised area for agronomists to look into. This trend which involves flooding and rainfall will be with us for a long time to come.
Meanwhile, Saturday Vanguard check showed that the World Food Day was marked on 16th of October, 2012. Food has been described as a basic human right. The theme for this year’s World Food Day was: “Agricultural Cooperatives: Key to Feeding the World.” It was reported that one person dies every three seconds in the world from hunger.
That 70% of the hungry people lives in rural areas. Internationally, 50% of children are malnourished (versus less than 5% in wealthier nations). In the Nigerian food consumption and nutrition survey carried out few years ago, 42% of Nigerian children were stunted while 25% were underweight. According to a report of UN children fund, Nigeria is among 24 nations in which there are 80% of chronically undernourished children.
Results from analyses of dietary data in the form of ethnographic research studies, confirm differneces in food choices between the poor and the rich. The poor tend to consume more starches, fats and sugar but less of foods associated with good health, like fruits and vegetables, high-fibre grains and low-fat dairy products.
Studies have shown lower intakes of several nutrients among men, women and children who experience food insufficiency and food insecurity. Hunger and malnutrition are the gravest threats to the world’s public health and malnutrition is by far the biggest contributor to child mortality as already thousands of Nigerians go to bed hungry every night.
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