Day 2, Session 4 of the Nigeria Strategy Support Program's 2012 Research Conference

1. Thematic study on consumption,
food insecurity and vulnerability
Oluyemisi Kuku, Astrid Mathiassen, Amit Wadhwa,
Lucy Myles and Akeem Ajibola
NSSP National Conference 2012:
“Informing Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation
Agenda with policy analysis and research evidence”
Abuja, Nigeria – November 13-14, 2012
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

2. Introduction
 A Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability
Analysis (CFSVA). Attempt to develop broad-based
national indicators on food security and vulnerability
of various segments of a population across regions.
 Joint report with WFP
 Data: Living Standards Measurement Study-
Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA).
• National bureau of statistics (NBS) and the World
Bank.
• Approx. 5000 respondents who are interviewed
every two years.
• This analysis relies on post-harvest data

3. Key Findings
 Food insecurity and poverty are intricately linked
 The poorest livelihoods are found in agriculture
 Households that engage in agriculture and other
activities fare better than those in agriculture alone
 The vulnerable and food insecure are mostly found in
rural areas and the North West and North East regions of
Nigeria
 High food prices are a major constraint to vulnerable
households
 Poor households engage in extreme coping strategies to
deal with food shortages

4. What is food security?
“Food security exists when all people, at
all times, have physical, social, and
economic access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food which meets their dietary
needs and food preferences for an active
and healthy life.”
– World Food Summit, 1996

5. Dimensions of food security
Food Security
Availability Access Utilization
• Domestic production • Household production • Care and feeding
• Commercial imports • Financial resources to practices
purchase food • Food preparation
• Reserves and food aid
• Food prices and • Intra-household
markets distribution
• Existence of • Biological utilization of
formal/informal social food consumed
safety nets
Stability

6. DEMOGRAPHICS
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

7. Household characteristics
Household head (%) Basic literacy(%)
male household head spouse
Zone
North central 89 56 33
North east 97 50 29
North West 98 62 45
South East 71 61 68
South South 77 72 75
South West 79 73 73
Sector
Urban 82 78 72
Rural 86 55 42

8. On average about half of the household
members are dependents (children or elderly)
6
51
female
24
age 60+
9
8 age 15-59
age 6-14
8 age 2-5
45 age 0-2
male
26
10
9
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
percent

9. DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

10. Food Consumption Score
 The Food Consumption Score (FCS) is a composite score
based on dietary diversity, food frequency and the relative
nutritional importance of different food groups
 The FCS serves as a proxy for current food security
 The FCS is calculated by observing the frequency by which
households consume various food items over a seven day
recall period
 Each food item is put into a category and the categories
are given a weight based on its relative nutritional value
 The FCS was developed and extensively used by WFP in
food security assessments

11. Food Consumption Groups
 Food consumption groups are created from the FCS based on
standard thresholds
 A FCS of 21 is a minimum. A FCS below 21 assumes a household
does NOT to eat at least staple foods and vegetables on a daily
basis and is thus considered to have a poor diet.
 A FCS between 21 and 35 reflects borderline food consumption. A
FCS of 35 assumes daily consumption of staple and vegetables
complemented by consumption of oil and pulses 4 days per week.
Food consumption group Standard threshold
Poor food consumption 0 – 21
Borderline food consumption 21.5 - 35
Acceptable food consumption >35.5

12. Wealth Index:
A proxy indicator of household level wealth
 The wealth index is a composite index which attempts to measure
wealth without relying on income and expenditure data
 The index is created by using a form of data reduction analysis
called Principle Component Analysis (PCA)
 A number of variables are used collectively to describe the wealth
of a household. In Nigeria, 16 variables were used to construct
the wealth index
 After creating the index, the households are ranked and placed in
quintiles to describe wealth groups within the population
Assets Households amenities
• TV • Improved walls / roof / floor
• Mobile phone • Improved drinking water
• Iron / sewing machine • Improved sanitation
• Refrigerator / stove • Electricity
• Electricity generator • Cooking fuel
• Car
• Sofa / chairs / table

13. Livelihood groups
 Due to the lack of proper income data we rely
on time use data to assign household
livelihood groups.
 Household members reports time spent in
income generating activities. Total time spent
in each activity is added for all household
members.
 We assign the household to a livelihood
group according to the proportion of time
spent in the income generating activities.

14. Description of livelihood profiles
Livelihood group Definition
Subsistence farmer, fisherman or
hunter only All time use in subsistence activities only
Mixed crop or cash crops only All time use in agricultural activities only
Mainly agriculture with other More than 50 percent of time in agriculture, with other
activities activities
More than 50 percent of time use as an industry
Mainly industrial laborer employee
Mainly small business (craftsman) Mainly self employed artisans and craftsmen
Mainly managing a business, involved in sales, and other
Mainly business/commerce larger commercial activities
Mainly livestock/poultry More than 50 percent of time use in animal husbandry
Salaried workers in public or private sector with
Mainly professionals professional qualifications.
More than 50 percent of time use in provision of services
Mainly service laborers that require no rigorous qualification
Agricultural & non agricultural Carries out a variety of livelihood activities in agriculture
mixed activities and other sectors
Carries out a variety of activities in the non-agricultural
Non agricultural mixed activities sector.

15. Percent of total households
in each livelihood group
25
20 21.4
15
15.2
Percent
13.3
12.3
10 11.3
7.7
5
5.0
3.8 4.3 4.0
1.6
0

16. FOOD SECURITY AND
VULNERABILITY INDICATORS
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

17. WHICH GROUPS ARE MOST
VULNERABLE?
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

18. Geographic distribution of wealth
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
North Central 25.5 25.6 21.1 19.1 8.7
North East 36.2 30.4 17.8 10.9
North West 38.2 30.5 18.4 9.2
Region
South East 8.9 16.3 26.4 25.4 23.1
South South 6.4 13.4 21.0 27.7 31.5
South West 9.4 9.8 17.4 25.5 37.9
Urban 7.7 20.4 30.1 39.4
Sector
Rural 31.5 28.1 19.8 13.3 7.2
poorest poorer moderate wealthier wealthiest

19. Percent of population in the two poorest
wealth quintiles – by region
80
60 67
64
50
40
Percent
20 22
19
16
0
• A greater proportion of households are poor in the northern regions

20. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

21. Livelihood groups by rural/urban divide
Percent of households
urban rural
30.1
17.33
15.75 15.27
10.08 9.04
8.64 8.24
6.14 6.48 4.03 1.2
Wealthy livelihood groups
• Poor livelihoods are more prevalent in rural areas

22. Vulnerability: High food expenditures
Food expenditure share >75% by region
80%
73%
60% 64%
62%
48% 50%
40%
39% 41%
20% 27% 29%
0%
Urban
Rural
National
North East
North Central
North West
South West
South South
South East
Sector Zone

23. Vulnerability: High Food expenditures
Food expenditure>75% : By livelihood group
80%
78%
72%
60% 68%
63%
55%
40%
41% 41%
37% 36%
20% 30%
21%
0%

24. FOOD DEFICITS AND
COPING STRATEGIES
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

25. Food Sources by geographic area
100% 4% 5%
16% 18% 17% 14%
24% 26% 28%
80%
Share of food expenditure
60% 73% 72%
66% 66% 67% 70% Own production
62% 58% 59%
40%
Purchased
20%
Away from home
15% 20% 12% 14% 11% 16% 14% 13% 19%
0%
North west
South west
Urban
South east
National
Rural
North east
North central
South south
Sector Zone

26. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

27. Mean number of days per week food item
is consumed at home
Rural 6.6 2.9 5.0 3.4 2.4 5.4
Sector
Urban 6.4 3.1 4.9 4.3 2.5 5.3
cereals and tubers
South West 6.3 2.9 4.5 4.2 4.8 pulses
vegetables
South South 6.7 2.8 4.9 5.0 5.7
fruit
South East 6.1 2.3 4.1 3.8 4.9 meat and fish
Region
milk
North West 6.7 2.9 5.5 2.3 3.4 5.9
sugar
North East 6.7 3.8 5.4 3.1 3.8 5.5 oil
North Central 6.5 3.0 5.1 3.9 2.6 5.7
National 6.5 2.9 4.9 3.7 2.5 5.4
0 10 20 30
Days

28. Food consumption categories by
wealth quintile
Wealthiest 13.0 84.8
poor
Wealthier 14.3 82.2
borderline
acceptable
Moderate 12.4 82.1
Poorer 15.3 79.7
Poorest 20.4 71.0
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

29. Causes of food shortages
29.5
High food prices
35.8
4.8
Financial hardship
21.0
7.9
Other reasons
16.1
16.0
Lack of farm inputs
3.9
13.8 Rural
Small land size
5.0 Urban
9.9
Drought
4.7
6.8
Crop pest damage
2.2
2.6
Civil unrest/riots
5.6
0 10 20 30 40

30. Most frequent coping strategies for
dealing with food shortages
30
25
20 Go a whole day without
food
15
Reduce number of
10 meals eaten in a day
5 Rely on less preferred
foods
0
• Poorer households use more severe coping strategies

31. Conclusion
 Key message:
• Rural/urban differences
• Regional differences
• Poverty concentrated in the agricultural sector
 Analysis is ongoing – the full report is
forthcoming

32. THANK YOU
INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

33. NSSP Report 11
The role of Nigerian agriculture in West African
Food Security
Dr. R.O. Babatunde
University of Ilorin, Nigeria
NSSP 2012 National Conference, 13-14 November, 2012, Rockview Hotel Royale,
Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria.

34. NSSP Report 11
This study was commissioned by IFPRI to:
 Identifies Nigeria’s potentials and comparative advantage in the
production of main agricultural commodities within the sub-region
 Assess the implication of Nigeria’s agricultural production and the
potential of its export in enhancing food security in the WA sub-region
 Identify the key drivers of food security in WA and the role of Nigeria
Approach:
 Review and analysis of secondary information obtained from ECOWAS,
FAOSTAT, CBN and NBS
 Specific evidences in different countries

35. NSSP Report 11
Outline
 Background
• State of food security and agricultural production in West Africa
• Significance of Nigeria’s economy in West Africa sub-region
 Nigeria’s agricultural potentials
• Agricultural resources in Nigeria
• Key agricultural commodities and their production level
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
• Agriculture
• Intra-regional trade in agricultural commodities
• Agricultural research and development
• Peace and security
• Technology transfer
 Conclusion and policy issues

36. NSSP Report 11
 West Africa – socioeconomic characteristics
• 15 countries with a total population of 317 million people (2012 estimation)
• Population density ranges from 168/km2 in the forest to 3/km2 in the sahel
• Population growth rate is 2.6% per annum in 2000-2005, expected to grow
at 1.2% in 2045-2050 (OECD, 2009)
• Population of WA is expected to exceed 400 million by 2020 and 500
million between 2030 and 2050
• Urban population in WA is 45% and expected to reach 70% in 2050
• Annual urbanization rate of approximately 4% (USAID, 2010)

37. NSSP Report 11
 West Africa – socioeconomic characteristics
• Land area of WA is 5,113,000 km2 (2.4 times the size of India and 1.8
times the size of 27 EU countries)
• Nigeria account for 50% of the population of WA

38. NSSP Report 11
 West Africa – economy
• One of the least developed regions in the World, mostly agro-based
economies with agriculture contributing 35% of regional GDP and over
15% of export earnings
• Average regional GDP of $391 billion, growing at 5.89% annually for the
last 10 years (USAID, 2010)
• Average GNI per capita of $1,198 in 2011 based on 2005 PPP
• Human development index (HDI) ranges from 0.295 in Niger to 0.568 in
Cape Verde (average HDI is 0.403) (UNDP, 2012)
• Life expectancy ranges from 47.8 years in Sierra Leone to 74.2 years in
Cape Verde (average life expectancy at birth is 56.3 years)

39. NSSP Report 11
 West Africa – agriculture and food security
• About 60% of the population is involve in agriculture, but the region as a
whole import 20% of its food need
• Agricultural land make up about 49.7% of the total land area with the
highest in Nigeria (81.8%) and lowest in Cape Verde (21.8%)
• The region has about 9 million hectare of irrigable land (OECD, 2009)
• WA has one of the lowest yields in the World and only 30% of growth in
agric production is through productivity increases
• Main staple food crops include
sorghum, millet, cassava, yam, plantains, maize (maize and livestock
being the most traded) (USAID, 2010)

40. NSSP Report 11
Profile of West African countries
Countries Population Food supply Food insecurity Stunting Poverty
(millions) (kcal/cap/day) (% of pop) (% of children) (% of pop)
Benin 9.4 2,510 12 44.7 39.0
Burkina Faso 17.5 2,670 8 35.1 46.4
Cape Verde 0.5 2,550 11 NA 26.6
Cote d’Ivoire 20.6 2,510 14 39.0 42.7
Gambia 1.8 2,350 19 27.6 58.0
Ghana 25.5 2,850 5 28.6 28.5
Guinea 10.5 2,530 16 39.3 53.0
Guinea-Bissau 1.6 2,288 22 28.1 64.7
Liberia 4.2 2,160 32 39.4 63.8
Mali 16.3 2,580 12 38.5 47.4
Niger 16.6 2,310 16 54.8 59.5
Nigeria 166.6 2,710 6 41.0 54.7
Senegal 13.1 2,320 19 20.1 50.8
Sierra Leone 6.1 2,130 35 37.4 66.4
Togo 6.3 2,150 30 26.9 61.7
West Africa 317 2,441.2 17.1 40.5 50.8
Ref. year 2012 2006/07 2008 2010 2009
Source: UNDP, 2012 Africa Human Development Report

41. NSSP Report 11
 In summary ………..
 Dietary energy supply (DES) has increased in WA from about 2,000
kcal/capita/day in 1980s to 2,440 kcal/capita/day in 2007
• The increase is more in the coastal zone than in the sahelian zone
• Protein availability also increase from 45g to 50g per capita/day
• Diet quality and diversity has not improve proportionally
• Child malnutrition has actually increase (UNDP, 2012)
 Prevalence of undernourishment also declines from 22.1% of the
population in 2004/05 to 17.1% in 2008 (UNDP, 2012)
• In SSA the prevalence has fallen from 27.2% to 26.5%
• Region may not reach the MDG target if prevailing trends persist
 Despite improvement, challenges still persist
• Conflict in northern Mali
• Flooding in Nigeria, Benin has affected more than 1.5 million people
• Desert locust in Niger and Mali

42. NSSP Report 11
 Significant of Nigeria’s economy in West Africa sub-region
 Largest economy in WA and second largest in Africa
• Account for approximately 53% of the population and over 50% of the
regional gross domestic product (GDS, 2010)
 Largest producer of major agricultural products in the region
• Responsible for 50-60% of total regional cereals production (GDS, 2010)
 Largest oil producer, followed by Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Ghana
• Nigeria accounts for 86% of total WA oil production (OECD, 2009)
• Largest combined oil and gas reserves in WA and Africa
 Provides fuel, electricity and gas to countries in the sub-region
• About 80% of fuel consume in Benin is from Nigeria (IMF, 2012)
• Supply gas to Ghana
• Supply electricity to Niger
• 5% of Nigeria oil is exported to WA countries (OECD, 2009)

43. NSSP Report 11
 Agricultural potentials of Nigeria
 Agricultural land area of 79 million hectares
• 32 million hectares under cultivation
• 30% of arable land in WA is found in Nigeria (GDS, 2010)
• 3.14 million hectares of potential irrigable land (Ruma, 2009)
• 5-8 million hectares of fadama
 Adequate supply of water
• 267 billion cubic meters of surface water (Ruma, 2009)
• 57.9 billion cubic meters of underground water (Ruma, 2009)
• Annual rainfall ranging from 300mm to 4,000mm

44. NSSP Report 11
 Agricultural potentials of Nigeria
 Availability of labour
• Population of 166 million (2012 estimates)
• Close to 70% of the population engage in agriculture
 Availability and supply of other inputs
• 30,000 tractors available in the country
• To be increased by 10,000 tractors per annum (Ruma, 2009)
• 70% of tractors in WA countries are in Nigeria (GDS, 2010)
• One extension agent per 10,000 farmers (Ruma, 2009)
• Average fertilizer demand of 3 million tons per year
• Establishment of 774 agro service centres (1 stop shop for farmers)
• 4% of bank credit lending go to agric sector (2007)

45. NSSP Report 11
 Current agricultural production level in Nigeria
 Output of major staple crops has continue to increase
• Total output and index of production of staples have continue to increase
Commodities Output in 1000 tons Percent change
1990 2006
Maize 5768 11005 90.7
Millet 5136 7845 52.7
Sorghum 4185 11239 168.5
Rice 2500 4169 66.7
Wheat 554 15 -97.2
Beans 1354 4739 250
Cassava 19043 38254 100.8
Yam 13624 30188 121.5
Cocoyam 731 2633 260.1
Plantain 1215 1317 83.9
Source: CBN Statistical Bulletin, 2007

46. NSSP Report 11
Total output of major staple agricultural commodities in Nigeria, 1970-2006
160000
Output of agricultural commodities (1000 tonnes)
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
00
02
04
06
08
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
Year
Source: FAOSTAT

47. NSSP Report 11
Index of production of staples, livestock and fishery in Nigeria (1999 = 100)
300
250
Index of staples, livestock and fishery output
200
150
100
50
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
STAPLES LIVESTOCK FISHERY
Source: FAOSTAT

48. NSSP Report 11
 Current agricultural production level in Nigeria
 Area under cultivation and productivity of major staple crops has
increase
Commodities Area under cultivation Yield (t/ha) Total output
(1000 ha) (1000 tons)
Maize 4,460 1.59 7,091
Rice 2,131 1.97 4,200
Cassava 3,261 15.0 48,915
Wheat 150 1.09 163
Millet - 1.3 7,700
Tomato 305 8 2,440
Sugar Cane 296 17.9 5322
Source: FMAWR, 2009

49. NSSP Report 11
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
 Agriculture
 Relative share of Nigeria’s agricultural production in the ECOWAS
sub-region and implication for food security
• Largest producer of staple crops in WA (GDS, 2010)
• Largest producer of Cassava in the World and second largest producer of
Sweet Potatoes (Eboh et al., 2004)
• Account for 51% of total food supply in WA (FAOSTAT)
• Root and tuber output was 89 million tons in 2008 (69% of WA total)
• Account for 53% of Maize, 48% of Rice, 69% of Millet and 58% of
Cowpea regional production (GDS, 2010)
• Livestock production in Nigeria is 36% of total for the region
 Total food output in Nigeria and WA followed similar trend
• Nigerian agriculture is a major component of regional agriculture?
• Food output in Nigeria is one of the drivers of WA food security?

50. NSSP Report 11
West African countries that rank first in average yield, output and cultivated area of
selected food crops, 1980-2002
Crops Average yield Production output Cultivated area
Beans Mauritania Cote d’Ivoire Guinea
Banana Cape Verde Benin Togo
Cassava Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria
Rice Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria
Yam Nigeria Benin Nigeria
Millet Nigeria Nigeria Niger
Maize Gambia Nigeria Nigeria
Groundnut Gambia Nigeria Nigeria
Sorghum Nigeria Nigeria Nigeria
Plantain Ghana Nigeria Cote d’Ivoire
Source: Computed from FAOSTAT

51. NSSP Report 11
Total food output in Nigeria and West Africa, 1970-2007
400000
350000
Total food output (1000 tonnes)
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
70
72
74
76
78
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
00
02
04
06
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
NIGERIA Year WEST AFRICA
Source: FAOSTAT

52. NSSP Report 11
 Agriculture
 Contribution of Nigeria’s agricultural production to regional food security
• During the 2005 food crisis, Nigeria supplies 60-70% of Niger’s grain import
(Diao, 2010), which help to improve food availability in the country
• 80-100 % of markets in Niger are supplied dry grains from Nigeria every
week (FEWSNET, 2010)
• Food produce from Nigeria are exported and sold in markets in Benin, Mali
and Ghana (GDS, 2010)
• Nigeria herself is a net importer of food such as rice, wheat, meat sugar, milk
• Many of the countries in WA obtain part of their food import from Nigeria
• Larger proportion of this food import are smuggled and unaccounted for, example include
grain, garri and yam (GDS, 2010)
• There is re-exportation of food from Nigeria to WA countries, which has
contributed to food availability in those countries, e.g. Benin, Ghana
(GDS, 2010)

53. NSSP Report 11
 Agriculture
 Role of Nigeria in ECOWAS regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP)
• Nigeria supported the establishment of ECOWAP as a regional policy
framework for agriculture and food security in 2005
• ECOWAP proposes a common agricultural policy in WA countries
• Aims to improve productivity and competitiveness of agriculture in WA
• Implement trade regimes within the region and between the region and outsider
• Nigeria facilitated the signing of ECOWAP/CAADP agreement in 2009, when
the country is holding the chairmanship of ECOWAS
• Nigeria facilitated the decision by ECOWAS to establish the regional
programme for food security (RPFS) as a component of ECOWAP
• Based on the success of the Nigeria’s special programmes for food security
(SPFS) (Ruma, 2009)

54. NSSP Report 11
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
 Intra-regional trade
 Role of Nigeria in intra-regional trade in agricultural commodities
• Promote intra-regional trade in ECOWAS countries
• 5% of Nigeria export is to WA countries and 2% of import is from WA countries
• Important for cross-border trade in agricultural commodities (GTZ, 2010)
• Participate in more than 60% of intra-regional trade involving mostly agricultural
commodities
• Level of intra-regional trade is still low with export and import within the region making up
8.4 and 16.7% respectively of the total value of regional export and import
• Adopted trade liberalization in 2004
• Facilitate access to agricultural commodities through the cross-border trade
(GDS, 2010)
• Net supplier of millet, sorghum, maize to Niger, Chad and Cameroun (GDS, 2010)

55. NSSP Report 11
 Intra-regional trade
 Role of Nigeria in regional trade integration
• Major supporter of the ECOWAS common currency
• Reduced her protectionist trade policy and adopted the ECOWAS common
external tariff (CET) regime
• Instrumental to the negotiation of economic partnership agreement (EPA) with
the EU in 2007 (GDS, 2010)
• Nigeria Banks providing financial services in WA countries e.g. Ghana, Liberia

56. NSSP Report 11
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
 Agricultural research and development
 Role of Nigeria in regional agricultural research and development
• Promotion of agricultural R&D
• Has the largest R&D in WA in terms of investment and number of researchers
• Investment in R&D doubled from 12 million naira in 2000 to 24 million naira in
2008 (Flaherty et al., 2010)
• Nigeria has some of the best agricultural universities and research institutes in the
WA region
• Between 2000 and 2008, research capacity increased from 1,300 to more than
2,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) researchers
• Agricultural R&D in Nigeria is primarily funded by government and donor
• Mainly focus on crops and livestock improvement, with cassava and poultry being
the most heavily researched components (Flaherty et al., 2010)

57. NSSP Report 11
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
 Peace and security
 Role of Nigeria in regional peace and security
• Maintenance of peace and security in the region
• Leading contributor to ECOMOG intervention force to monitor ceasefire in conflict-
stricken countries (GDS, 2010)
• Provide support for the establishment of AU parliament and the court of justice
• Maintain bilateral agreement for maritime and border security e.g. with Benin
• Resolution of conflicts in the region
• Mediate and facilitate conflict resolution in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire
• Participate in UN peace keeping operation even beyond WA region e.g. in Sudan,
Chad, Somalia, Angola and Congo (Okunnu, 2010)

58. NSSP Report 11
 Drivers of food security in West Africa and the role of Nigeria
 Technology transfer
 Role of Nigeria in technology transfer
• Deployment of Technical Aid Corps
• Agricultural experts are deployed to countries in WA to assist in capacity building
for improve agricultural production

59. NSSP Report 11
 Conclusion
 At the regional level, agriculture, trade, peace and security, R&D and
technology are the main drivers of food security and in these sectors,
Nigeria has the greatest potential to contribute to increase food security
 Agriculture will guarantee food availability
 Intra-regional trade can enhances food accessibility
 Agricultural R&D can improves yield and increase food availability
 Peace and security can ensure stability of food supplies
 Implication is that Nigeria’s agricultural production has the greatest
potentials to contribute to food security through intra-regional trade in
agricultural commodities
 Largest producer and marketer of agricultural commodities in WA

60. NSSP Report 11
What should be done………..
 Support Nigeria’s effort to increase the production of key agricultural
commodities such as cereals, root and tuber where the country has
comparative advantage
• Development of smallholder agriculture
• Intensify agricultural R&D to improve yield
• Investment in rural infrastructure and storage facilities
• Input subsidies for farmers
 Strengthen regional integration in trade especially in agricultural
commodities
• Remove barriers to trade and ensure free movement of goods and people
• Harmonization of tariffs to the ECOWAS common external tariff
• Single currency should be pursued more vigorously like in the EU

61. NSSP Report 11
Thank you for your attention

62. Making micronutrients accessible in Nigeria through
biofortification of staple crops
Paul Ilona, Country Manager - Nigeria

63. Background
• The Copenhagen Consensus – 2008 reviewed and identified
the best ways to solve the world’s biggest problems
• Of the top 10 solutions 5 are focussed on reducing malnutrition
• Biofortification is one of such interventions. It ranked 5th along
with supplementation (1st) and Fortification (2nd)
This is an acknowledgement of a problem that
is so widespread, needing more than one set of
solutions or interventions to make impact.

64. What constitutes malnutrition?
Inadequate intake of food nutrients required by the body cells
to function properly:
Macronutrients
• Carbohydrate
• Protein
• Fat
Micronutrients
• Vitamins (A, B, C etc)
• Minerals (Fe, Zn etc)

65. Malnutrition: a contributory cause of half of
under-five deaths in Nigeria
• Malnutrition and nutrition related
diseases continue to be problems of 2%
public health importance in Nigeria Neonatal
10% 3%
24% Malaria
• Nutrition should be considered a
11% Malnutrition
Pneumonia
critical component of National
development which cuts across many Diarrhoea
sectors 53% Measles
13% 20%
Others
• Malnutrition slows economic growth 17% HIV/AIDS
and perpetuates poverty through Injuries
direct losses in productivity from poor
physical status; indirect losses from
poor cognitive function and deficits in Wasting and vitamin A deficiency
schooling; and losses owing to increase substantially the risk of
dying from the listed conditions.
increased health care costs.

66. Status of micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria
Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) Iodine deficiency (IDD)
- 23% among children < 5 yrs - 13% among children < 5 yrs
- 10% among pregnant women
- 13% among mothers
- 13% among nursing mothers
- 19% among pregnant women
Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) Zinc Deficiency
- 34% among u-5 children - 20% among u-5 children
- 24% among mothers - 28% among mothers
- 48% among pregnant women - 44% among pregnant women

67. Status of Malnutrition in Nigeria by region

68. Why the attention on Vit A?
Importance Consequences
• Vision (night, day, colour) • Blindness
• Epithelial cell integrity • Preventable illness
against infections • Stunted growth
• Immune response • Lower cognitive ability
• Red Blood Cell Production • Reduced ability to work
• Skeletal growth • Loss in GDP
• Embryogenesis and fetal • Premature death
development
A weak and malnourished labour force will
contribute less to ATA in Nigeria

69. Strategies employed to fight deficiency
Commercial
Fortification

70. What is biofortification?
Biofortification is the process of breeding food crops that are rich
in bioavailable micronutrients such as vitamin A, Iron and Zinc

71. Targeted crops to deliver micronutrients
Target Micro-N Target Release date Target Country
Rice Zinc 2013 Bangladesh / India
Wheat Zinc 2013 India / Pakistan
Millet Iron 2012 India
Bean Iron 2012 Rwanda / DRC
Maize Vit A 2012 Zambia / Nigeria
Cassava Vit A 2011 Nigeria / DRC
Sweet P Vit A 2007 Uganda / Moz / Nig?

72. Will Biofortification Work?
• Can breeding increase nutrient levels
enough to improve human nutrition?
• Will the extra nutrients be bioavailable at
sufficient levels to improve micronutrient
status?
• Will farmers adopt and consumers buy/eat
in sufficient quantities?

73. Progress in meeting targets
Three Vit A cassava varieties were released in Nig in 2011
(1) UMUCASS 36 (2) UMUCASS 37 (3) UMUCASS 38
7 – 8 u/g of TCC

74. Progress in meeting targets
7 – 8 u/g of TCC
Vitamin A maize released in July 2012

75. Next wave of imp. Vit A Cas varieties and target levels
2015 ???
TMS
2013 07/0593, NR
07/0220
TMS
01/1368, TMS
2011
01/1412, TMS
01/1371
2008 TMS 96/1089A
<2007 TMS 30572
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
Total carotene content (ug/g) FW

76. Bioavailability of vitamin A in cassava
Comparatively higher than in other crops
(average of 3-5 units = 1 retinol)
90
80
70
60
Retention (%)
50
40
30
20
10
0
Boiled Fried Gari Fufu

77. Consumer acceptance study
• This study investigated consumer acceptance
of biofortified gari from two yellow cassava
varieties (TMS 01/1368 and TMS 01/1371) vs
local varieties in Oyo and Imo states
• Consumer acceptance investigated in terms of
– Sensory (organoleptic) evaluation
– Economic valuation (willingness to pay)
• Some consumers accepted yellow cassava
varieties only after receiving information on
their nutritional benefits while others
accepted these varieties even without any
information
– Information was received as a simulated radio
message in local languages.
– This message explained the importance of Vitamin
A for family health and that yellow cassava
contained Vitamin A

78. Ex ante cost-effectiveness study
• This study estimated the costs and potential benefits of
biofortification of cassava with vitamin A in Nigeria
• Benefits of biofortification were estimated in terms of the
reduction in Disability Adjust Life Years (DALY) burden of vitamin
A deficiency
• Cost per DALY averted as a result of biofortification of cassava
with Vitamin A in Nigeria range from $8 in optimistic scenario to
$137 in pessimistic scenario
• According to the World Bank (World Development
Report, 1993), public health interventions costing less than
$196 per DALY averted (in 2004 dollars) are highly cost effective.
• Therefore even in the pessimistic scenario, biofortification is a
cost-effective public health intervention for combatting vitamin
A deficiency in Nigeria

79. Multiplication and dissemination of stems
Over 500 ha planted in 2012
100,000 households to receive planting materials in
2013

80. Advocacy

81. Conclusion
• Rural health is very important if agriculture is to
continue to contribute to GDP
• Agriculture is fundamental for good health through the
production of more nutritious foods
• Biofortification will make agriculture deliver necessary
nutrients naturally through the foods we eat, more cost
efficiently and sustainably
• Therefore agriculture and health policies should not be
treated in isolation
• Relevant policies in agriculture, health and perhaps
education should be analysed to create synergies