IMF warns Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad of food crisis, aftermath of flooding

The International Monetary Fund has said that food crisis may hit Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad as a result of the recent incidents of flooding in some states in Nigeria as well as other neighbouring countries which is capable of worsening food insecurity and and thus higher food prices. Mai Farid of the African Department, IMF said this while holding a discussion on the analytical corner on “Climate Change and Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa”. In his presentation of  foreseeable economic  impact of floods in Benue, Kogi and Anambra states of Nigeria, He said “we are very cognisant of the challenge that the flood of that magnitude and how it affected Nigeria and neighbouring countries. 

“We also recognise that Chad and Cameroon have also been hit, absolutely, you’re totally right in terms of the supply of agricultural production, it is going to drop which will put even further pressure on prices. In addition, if the floods have affected some of the transportation networks as in Kogi, which makes it even harder for food to move from point in the country or even out in any essence storage.” He said that Nigeria and other countries in the sub Saharan Africa are the most food insecure region and also the region most vulnerable to climate change and yet the least prepared to pay, there is need for governments to invest in  early warning system technology and and infrastructure that is climate resilient.

Also John Spray of the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF stressed the need to provide social assistance to moderate the impact of floods and food insecurity on the people. He  said, “One thing our model tells us is that there can be permanent effects and short term shocks. And so getting people to food and cash early, getting that social assistance out to people can have a really big impact in the long run. So there’s a kind of urgency where we think it’s important that when there is a shock that people can get access to food. They don’t have to take more drastic measures, pulling children out of school or sacrificing other assets.”