FAO and Norway Forge Alliance to Combat Nigeria’s Looming Food Crisis.
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive move to address Nigeria’s escalating food insecurity, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has partnered with the Royal Kingdom of Norway to bolster humanitarian efforts in the country’s northeast. This collaboration aims to provide critical support to over 26,000 vulnerable households across Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Taraba states, focusing on delivering climate-resilient seeds, agricultural inputs, and capacity development to empower local communities.
FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, emphasized the urgency of this partnership, highlighting that approximately 4.6 million Nigerians are projected to face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity during the 2025 lean season. He noted that this renewed support from Norway is timely, enabling FAO to expand its interventions and provide durable solutions to the most vulnerable populations.
The partnership, formalized through a funding addendum signed by Ambassador Svein Baera of Norway, underscores a shared vision to build resilient, food-secure communities in the region. Kouacou expressed gratitude for Norway’s steadfast partnership since 2017, emphasizing that this collaboration strengthens FAO’s ability to deliver impactful results at scale, anchored in accountability and long-term resilience.
This initiative is part of FAO’s broader strategy to combat food insecurity in Nigeria, which has been exacerbated by factors such as conflict, climate change, and economic challenges. The organization’s efforts include distributing nutritious food supplements like Tom Brown to malnourished children, establishing school gardens to promote nutrition awareness, and advocating for policy reforms to enhance agricultural productivity and market access.
As Nigeria grapples with a projected 26.5 million people facing food insecurity in 2024, this partnership between FAO and Norway represents a critical step toward ensuring food security and building resilient agricultural systems in the country.
The collaboration also aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2, aiming to achieve zero hunger by 2030. Through combined efforts, FAO and Norway are working to create lasting impact, demonstrating the power of collaboration in addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.
As the lean season approaches, the success of this partnership will be pivotal in determining the trajectory of Nigeria’s food security landscape. Stakeholders remain hopeful that continued collaboration and support will lead to sustainable solutions for the nation’s most vulnerable populations.
