http://www.punchng.com/news/nigerians-should-prepare-for-food-shortage-pdp/

The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked Nigerians to be prepared for imminent food shortage.

The party said scarcity of food would be one of the effects of the floods that ravaged some parts of the country recently.

Rising from its National Working Committee in Abuja, the PDP however commended President Goodluck Jonathan for steps taken so far to cushion the effects of the flood on victims.

According to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said Nigerians must know that flooding was a global phenomenon.

The statement reads, “PDP has commended the President for the firm and reassuring steps the Federal Government has taken to mitigate the impact of flooding across the states of the federation and forestall further threat to the nation.

“The Party has also called on relevant government agencies and entire Nigerians to brace up for the challenge of food shortages which the impact of the flooding may likely occasion.

“Flood disasters are a global phenomenon but our peculiar challenges of development demand deeper insight and capacity which the President has demonstrated.

“We therefore commend him for the medium and long term measures being put in place to first ameliorate the suffering of the affected Nigerian communities as well as for the steps already being taken to permanently put under check, the incidence of flooding in future.”

The party further appealed to federal, state and local governments as well as farmers to take measures to avert imminent food shortages on account of the flood.

It promised to liaise with all the relevant agencies of government to work out plans to forestall possible food shortages arising from the food.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-10/food-inflation-surge-goldman-warns


We have been very active in our discussions of the impact of the pending rise in food prices around the world (from central bank largesse to weather-related chaos). As Goldman notes, food inflation has been one of the most significant sources of headline inflation variation in emerging markets (EM) over the past few years. Since June, international prices for agricultural commodities have risen almost 30%, increasing the risk of fresh, food-related increases to EM headline inflation.

We, like Goldman, expect EM headline inflation to start to reflect the relevant pressures more broadly in the October prints at the latest. While the effects, for now, are expected to be less extreme than the 2010-2011 episode, the timing as the US enters its fiscal-cliff-prone malaise, could mean a further round of easing will reignite this critical inflationary concern.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/08/20128218556871733.html


The world is on the brink of a food "catastrophe" caused by the worst US drought in 50 years, and misguided government biofuel policy will exacerbate the perilous situation, scientists and activists warn.

When food prices spike and people go hungry, violence soon follows, they say. Riots caused by food shortages - similar to those of 2007-08 in countries like Bangladesh, Haiti, the Philippines and Burkina Faso among others - may be on the horizon, threatening social stability in impoverished nations that rely on US corn imports.

This summer's devastating drought has scorched much of the mid-western United States - the world's bread basket.

Crops such as corn, wheat, and soy have been decimated by high temperatures and little rain. Grain prices have skyrocketed and concerns abound the resulting higher food prices will hit the world's poor the hardest - sparking violent demonstrations.

Early dryness in Russia's wheat growing season, light monsoon rains in India, and drought in Africa's Sahel region, combined with America's lost crop, mean a perfect storm is on the horizon.

Surging food prices could kick off food riots similar to those in 2008 and 2010, Professor Yaneer Bar-Yam, president of the New England Complex Systems Institute, told Al Jazeera.

"Recent droughts in the mid-western United States threaten to cause global catastrophe," said Bar-Yam, whose institute uses computer models to identify global trends.

Hopes were high in May of a bumper corn crop this year, but sizzling temperatures in June and July scuttled those predictions. US corn yields are now expected to be the lowest in 17 years.

The United States accounted for 39 per cent of global trade in corn in 2011-12. Stockpiles are now down 48 per cent, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Corn prices have shot up 60 per cent since June 15.

Corn is a primary staple in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in much of Central and South America. In South Africa, the cost of maize has increased about 40 per cent in the last year, even before the US drought struck. 

Bar-Yam highlighted the food riots of 2007-08 and 2010-11 that were fuelled by sudden and dramatic spikes in food prices. He said his institute recently entered data from the US drought into its computer model, which predicted the outbreak of food-related unrest "in a short period of time".

"When people are unable to feed themselves and their families, widespread social disruption occurs," Bar-Yam said. "We are on the verge of another crisis, the third in five years, and likely to be the worst yet, capable of causing new food riots and turmoil on a par with the Arab Spring."

Fighting for food

While Americans and other Westerners will largely escape the financial pain spawned by the drought, impoverished people around the globe won't be so fortunate.

People in wealthy industrialised countries spend between 10 to 20 per cent of their income on food. Those in the developing world pay up to 80 per cent. According to Oxfam, a one per cent jump in the price of food results in 16 million more people crashing into poverty. 

More than 60 food riots occurred worldwide between 2007 and 2009, when rapidly rising commodity prices wreaked havoc on family budgets.

PREPARE FOR FOOD RIOTS, INFLATION AND GOVERNMENT INSTABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS.

THE ARAB SPRING ACTUALLY STARTED AS A REVOLT AGAINST HIGH FOOD PRICES, HUNGRY MEN ARE VERY HUNGRY MEN.

PLEASE STOCK UP FOR WHAT IS ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED ON NIGERIA!!!

Coming from the notorious Poverty Development Party, I think we are in deep trouble. This is gonna be very serious food shortage.

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/37179/2012/10/11/flood_nema_expresses_fear_over_likely_epidemic.html



Both the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have raised the alarm over the possibility of epidemics in flood ravaged communities in many states of the federation, calling for urgent intervention to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

http://www.proshareng.com/news/18408

With floods occurring around the harvest season, recent improvements storage capabilities may provide little protection for food prices in H2 2012. 50% of MoM declines in CPI have occurred in the Oct-November window. An acceleration of food—and headline CPI during this period significantly reduces the chances of achieving the single digit figures we had anticipated in January 2013 once the base effects of the 3.3% MoM rise in January 2012 elapse. With this in view, our relief at the passage of the June-August window without significant food price pressures may be short-lived as flooding has now shifted our expectations anchor into the October-November window, which will now likely determine future inflation trajectory. Overall our estimates for the H2 2012 average headline inflation has increased 40bps to 11% but the key question is if Q4-12 CPI readings will be strong enough to upend secular decline in headline CPI on which much of our policy and economic outlook depends.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100962:effects-of-the-river-niger-flooding-&catid=37:editorial&Itemid=612


THE unprecedented flooding experienced in several states across the country has certainly presented horrendous situation of human carnage and property destruction that calls for more attention than presently being given. Even more alarming is the overwhelming damage resulting in food shortage and other humanitarian crises that the flood may throw up. These forebodings are easily gleaned by the horrific reports of the devastation occasioned by the incidents on several communities along the River Niger in the past two weeks. Millions of people have been sacked from their homes in what has turned out to be Nigeria’s worst natural disaster in history, in a country which hardly records devastating natural calamities.

The cost of the damage caused by the disaster is yet unknown, partly because casualty figures is still rising. Hectares of farmlands, homes, silos and animals worth billions of naira are being daily washed away in areas that constitute the food basket of the nation. It is logical to expect possible food shortage, epidemic outbreak and environmental destruction. The government should prepare for these with a view to minimising their unpleasant effects.

Aerial view of the flooding shows submerged homes with only the roofs visible across the states bordering the river from Niger to Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Anambra, Edo and Delta. Farmlands, roads, bridges and other properties have been washed away. Some residents are reported trapped on treetops in Lokoja and in need of help. Women, children and the elderly were the worst hit. This development has worsened the existing poverty in the communities.

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/37017/2012/10/09/jonathan_tasks_council_postflood_impact_food_production.html




President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday directed the Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council (ATIC) to come up with programmes to address the impending food shortages following the flooding of farmlands.

Jonathan gave the directive in his opening remarks at the inaugural meeting of the council, which he presided over at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Council, comprising of members from both the public and private sector, was set up as the apex platform to chart the way forward for the attainment of the transformation agenda in the agricultural sector.

Jonathan drew the attention of the council to the severe impact of flooding across the country ``which has continued to wash away farmlands’’.

``It is noteworthy that this inaugural meeting is coming up at a time when many parts of our country, including farmlands are being ravaged by unprecedented flooding.

``There is no doubt that this unfortunate situation will have adverse effects on agricultural production in the affected communities.

``I charge members of this council to make planning for the post-impact implication of the ongoing flooding on agricultural production,’’ he said.

http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/08102012/news/news1.html


Auchi - Farmers in Edo state have called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to avert imminent food crisis as a result of flooding in parts of the country.

Alhaji Abdulahi Mohammed, Coordinator, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in Edo North Senatorial district, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Auchi.

Mohammed observed that the floods had destroyed hundreds of hectares of farms in the state, adding that “even, the few farms that may have been spared, will have poor harvest’’.

According to him, in Edo North alone, the flood destroyed all farmlands in Etsako Central, Etsako East and Esan South-East Local Government Areas.

He explained that rice, yam and cassava farmers were mostly affected by the flood.

“Without rice from Udaba, Udochi and Anegbette in Etsako Central, yam and cassava from Etsako East and Esan South East, there will be no food in the state.

“It is, therefore, urgently imperative on government to find a lasting solution to the problem to avoid serious food and health crisis as well as social problems”.

http://www.punchng.com/editorial/flooding-and-food-security-threat/


With flooding coming into account, the food situation can only get worse, pushing more people into poverty traps. In Adamawa, one of the states seriously affected by the flooding, almost half of the farmland is said to have been submerged by water. It is said that between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes of maize, rice and other food crops are likely to be lost to the floods in the 2012 farming season. This may increase our food import bill, put at an average of N2.3 trillion annually between 2007 and 2010.

The Federal Government’s warning about an impending food shortage is not enough. The farmers whose livelihood may have been washed away by the flood need to be supported, by granting them soft loans, seedlings and fertiliser. There should also be an effort to move away from subsistence farming to mechanised farming. No matter how many people go into farming, as long as the dependence on crude, local implements continues, it will be impossible for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in food production.

It is common knowledge that most of the food produced in the country is wasted because of acute lack of storage and processing facilities. These are areas the government should look into in trying to ameliorate the food crisis. Besides, given the rapidly changing weather, it has become imperative to make available weather and climate information emanating from NIMET for application in agricultural activities.

So far, over 140 people have been reportedly killed, while about 10,000 people have been rendered homeless. Altogether, an estimated 130,000 people across the federation have been affected, according to the Nigerian Red Cross Society.  In addition to the N17.6 billion promised by the Federal Government, state governments and individual donors are responding to this life-changing disaster.

Yet, the Federal Ministry of Environment has predicted that 16 more states will suffer more torrential flooding, warning people living in such vulnerable states to evacuate their homes before they are taken unawares. Aside from the number of people confirmed dead, it has been difficult to quantify the extent of destruction to property. Household goods now float freely on top of water. What used to be roads have suddenly turned waterways that can only be navigated by canoes. In fact, the main link road between the Federal Capital Territory and Lokoja, in Kogi State, was cut off for days.

The Minister of Environment, Hadiza Mailafia, said over 5,000 farmland had been washed away. People are now being threatened by snakes, crocodiles and hippopotami, animals that have been dislodged from their natural habitat by the raging flood. Also likely to come with the floods are water-borne diseases, especially cholera, with its high mortality rate.

http://m.news24.com/nigeria/National/News/Flooding-likely-to-cause-food-shortage-20121010

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt, Mmom, of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, said:‘’ When there is flooding like it is now, the entire farmland is submerged.

``So, whatever the crops, the animals there, are badly damaged and affected in the process.

‘’The import of that is that there will be food shortage because some of these crops are not up to maturity stage before the flood came.

‘’ And even though they have matured, you will find out that you will be harvesting the crops that you are supposed to have harvested over a month later at an instance.’’

Mmom, who is also the Chairman, Nigerian Society of Environment, Rivers State chapter, said that matured crops such as cassava, yam and cocoa yam, could get rotten when the flood receded.

He said that a major challenge to agriculture in the country was storage of produce, noting that some of the affected crops were not up to maturity stage before the flood came.

‘’ Nigerians should brace up for food shortage and hunger early next year. The option is for the country to import food next year in the interim.

‘’ Also, as soon as the flood recedes,  cropping should begin immediately so that the crops will be ready for harvesting before the next rainy season.''

PDP is trying to do the I told you so before the political upheaval of food riots hit Nigeria.

How are you making personal preparations for stocking up on food to protect your family. The earlier the better.

I am going to Mile 12 market ASAP! No dulling at all!

we shall overcome

Nxt page....

So na food be the next thing wey this PDP people wan embezzle now abi. They just want to finish this country. Better still, make dem kuku sell us give another country. Make dem sell this nigeria and we the citizens make we know say dem wan discharge us. I am ready to be sold cos i don tire. How much i go cost for market abeg. Any Economist here please.

Fellow Nigerians, there is nothing we can do about it. - GEJ

gbanikiti: I am going to Mile 12 market ASAP! No dulling at all!

Stock up for a Year, cos the crisis will last about a year.

Erhm, we did not need the Party Deceiving People to tell us. The handwriting is on the wall with the unprecedented flood in this country. My question is how the budget and the allocation to agriculture will cushion the effect of this. So many of the lands for agriculture are already submerged in water. And GEJ has already said no to importation of rice. I don't have a problem with that, i want to know about the alternatives government has in mind.

No matter the shortage,pray to God to give you the resources to buy irrespective of the price.

Food shortage has always been the world biggest problem,due to the rising population,and decreasing means of survival. It has been predicted by thomas Malthus,an. Political economist in his book"Essay on population",PDP shouldn't tell us,what we know.

gbanikiti: I am going to Mile 12 market ASAP! No dulling at all!

LOL. It's not like the food scarcity is going to last for 2 weeks.

make dem build silo for storage, in each local govt.... make dem build silo for storage, in each local govt....

Hope you can all now see that all matters affecting Garri Et al is taken seriously in the international community and not just in Nigeria or Nairaland.

Yomieluv: No matter the shortage,pray to God to give you the resources to buy irrespective of the price.

Food shortage has always been the world biggest problem,due to the rising population,and decreasing means of survival. It has been predicted by thomas Malthus,an. Political economist in his book"Essay on population",PDP shouldn't tell us,what we know.

You are off the radar. This is not the usually predictive situation. This is a crisis situation, an impromptu ecological disaster, an Act of God. Its called emergency situation, not the usually Demand-Supply-Population-concentration brouhaha.

Why not pray to God to stop the food shortage? Are you a true believer?

Seun shaGARRI: Hope you can all now see that all matters affecting Garri Et al is taken seriously in the international community and not just in Nigeria or Nairaland.

Now, you have a point, Garri will help Nigeria out in this situation, cos Cassava grows in every climate situation. I guess the price will go up.

Billyonaire: You are off the radar. This is not the usually predictive situation. This is a crisis situation, an impromptu ecological disaster, an Act of God. Its called emergency situation, not the usually Demand-Supply-Population-concentration brouhaha.

I tell you,an impromptu ecological disaster,an Act of God indeed,this is like we've never seen in this country before,it has destroyed crops everywhere,this is going to hit Nigeria real hard,but God dey shaaa.

TRADE BY BARTER......I WUD GIVE U GARRI , U GIVE ME UR DAUGHTER AMAKA