The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has accused opposition parties of politicising the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment, describing their interpretation of the report as misleading and unhelpful to Nigerians grappling with food insecurity.
In a statement issued on Monday, Kyari said the Cadre Harmonisé is a technical and scientific early-warning framework designed to assess food and nutrition security across countries in the Sahel and West Africa. He noted that the system is developed by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) in collaboration with international partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The minister dismissed claims by opposition figures linking projections that 33.5 million Nigerians could face severe food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2027 to President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid, describing the assertions as inaccurate and politically motivated.
According to Kyari, the projected figure relates specifically to the annual lean season, a period when food stocks are typically at their lowest and vulnerability levels rise in many communities. He added that the projection actually represents a modest improvement from the 34.8 million people estimated to be at risk during the corresponding period in 2026.
While acknowledging that food insecurity remains a significant challenge for the country, the minister stressed that meaningful progress would require sustained interventions and could not be achieved overnight.
Kyari said the Federal Government remains committed to addressing the challenge through targeted policies and programmes informed by findings from the Cadre Harmonisé assessment.
He noted that the government would continue to support farmers, strengthen agricultural productivity, and improve access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food for Nigerians.
The minister urged stakeholders to engage constructively with food security data and avoid turning technical assessments into political campaign material, warning that such actions could undermine efforts to address the country’s food and nutrition challenges.
