Food inflation has been galloping in Nigeria for some time. Purchasing power however has continued to weaken as a result of a poorly performing local currency against the US dollar, a weak local production sector, a chaotic petrol subsidy removal policy and overreliance on imports. Nigerians across board face the daily challenge of managing meager resources to make ends meet, with many households joining the extreme poverty and hunger brackets daily.

The African Journal for Sustainable Development (AJSD) incepted a pilot project in July 2023 to understand the problem and to work with low income households in Ilaje Bariga and Orisumbare Ayobo communities in Lagos Nigeria to find viable ways to achieve measures of food security. Lessons learnt through the pilot will be fine-tuned for implementation across other communities on the continent with similar demographics.  

Starting with the registration of a cohort of 20 households last July, the Ilaje Bariga household participation has been expanded to accommodate 50 households at the second engagement which held at Deacon Adelani Fajobi’s compound at 17 Arobadade Street Bariga on Thursday December 21, 2023.

Facilitating the engagement, Mr. Maurice Ekpong the Executive Director of AJSD reminded participants of the core objectives of the pilot which is to understand the food security challenges at the household level and work collaboratively as a group to find practical solutions to enhance household food security through a combination of training on food waste reduction techniques, urban backyard farming and food expenditure management strategies. The pilot program equally seeks to plug participating households into rural farmer supply chains in a symbiotic relationship that maximizes value for all stakeholders over a three month period from November 14, 2023 to February 14, 2023 in the first instance.

Picture above: Mr. Agbaka Lucky third from left is head of a household of five persons in Ilaje Community Bariga Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of participants, Mr. Agbaka Lucky head of a household of 5 praised the objectives of the program pointing to the potential in backyard farming to reduce overdependence on third party food sources.

The next engagement session will be held January 27, 2024.