The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, together with smart helpers, has started a project to find places in Nigeria where people don’t have enough food to eat.
The tool they are using is called the Cadre Harmonisé (CH). It’s like a special magnifying glass that helps to look at food needs up close.
This tool helps to check how much food people have now and in the future. It looks at numbers like how much crops grow and how much food costs. It also listens to what people in communities say about food.
This special tool is being used in 26 states and the big capital city of Nigeria. Many helpers like FAO, UNICEF, and other groups are helping with this work.
Dr. Dishi Khobe, a special advisor in Adamawa State, says it is very important to find out which places really need help. Some places have very little food and people are not healthy because of it.
He said, “We want to stop people from being hungry. Life is hard because things are expensive, and we need good information to help everyone well.”
Why Good Information is Important
Dr. Khobe shared that the CH tool gives true information about where help is needed. He said, “We have used this tool before and it always shows where help should go first.”
He also mentioned that the state government wants to keep using this tool even when their partners aren’t there. This way, no one will be forgotten.
Mr. Bulama Dauda, who works at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, explained more about this tool.
He said that the CH tool helps to understand what food issues are happening in local areas and states. This helps in making plans to help people. It’s used all over the world, especially in West Africa, to decide how to help people with food and nutrition problems.
Helping Places That Need It the Most
Dr. Ibrahim Bayaso, who knows a lot about CH in Adamawa State, tells us why this tool is helpful. When there are problems with food, it’s important to find out who needs help first.
He shared that the CH tool shows five stages of food issues: everything is okay, there is a bit of a problem, things are getting worse, there is a big problem, and lastly, people don’t have food at all. This helps governments and helpers know what to do.
Mr. Jasper Mwesigwa from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) talks about how things are hard in Nigeria because prices are high. He said, “The CH tool gives information quickly so helpers and government can give help to those who need it most.”
By using this tool, the goal is not only to see what the current food situation looks like but also to create plans to help people who are in big need in Nigeria.
Things You Should Know
- Reports say that around 16% of Nigerians might not have enough to eat between June and August 2024. This is more than last year, showing that life is getting tougher in Nigeria and nearby countries.
- Altogether, 52 million people in West and Central Africa might not have enough food, which is a big number.
- In Nigeria alone, about 32 million people will be very hungry. This is why it’s really important to quickly solve problems like fighting and not enough food in the country.