The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in partnership with technical experts have commenced a state-level Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis to identify areas facing food and nutrition insecurity.
The CH is a unified tool used to provide rigorous and transparent analysis of current and projected food and nutrition security situations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six-day CH workshop in Yola includes analysts from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Bauchi states.
Dr Dishi Khobe, Special Adviser to the Adamawa State Governor on Food Security, noted the importance of the exercise in obtaining reliable data to identify areas affected by severe poverty, food shortages and malnutrition.
“The main goal is to combat food insecurity, the poor are getting poorer due to the rising cost of living and we lack reliable data to support our people effectively.
“We have followed the CH exercise for a long time and observed that the trends are accurate and factual, it has shown hotspots on the map for immediate intervention.
“The state government is making efforts to improve and take ownership of the project so that when the supporting partners withdraw, we can fully take over without leaving any gaps,” he said.
Mr Bulama Dauda, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the exercise aims to consolidate evidence on food and nutrition security at the state level.
“The CH involves analysing the food and nutrition situation for specific areas, such as Local Government Areas, states, and the country as a whole, it is essential for shaping effective response plans.
“The results are used globally, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel countries, to guide responses to food and nutrition crises, support decision-making, planning, implementation, and budgeting for interventions,” Dauda added.
Dr Ibrahim Bayaso, Adamawa State CH Coordinator, noted that the analysis helps governments and humanitarian partners to prioritise areas for response.
“When food insecurity and nutrition challenges arise, it is crucial to identify the areas that need immediate intervention.
“The CH process identifies five phases: minimal, under pressure stress, crisis, emergency, and famine, which guide governments and donor partners in determining the areas that require urgent assistance”, he said.
Mr Jasper Mwesigwa, Food Security Analyst, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), noted that Nigeria was experiencing prolonged period of economic hardship, high inflation rates since 2023, thereby putting pressure on families and communities.
He noted that the country also faced the impact of climate change, including severe flooding and droughts, along with conflicts that have displaced populations, creating compounded vulnerabilities.
“The CH process provides timely and credible data to guide humanitarian actors and government agencies in targeting their responses to the most vulnerable populations”.
NAN reports that the CH state-level analysis is being conducted across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The partners include FAO, the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Action Against Hunger, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, UNICEF, among others. (NAN)
