Agriculture Minister Kyari Accuses Opposition Parties Of Politicising Cadre Harmonisé Food Security Figures

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has criticised opposition parties for allegedly politicising the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment, describing the move as unfair to millions of Nigerians facing food and nutrition insecurity.

In a statement, the Minister explained that the Cadre Harmonisé is a technical early-warning system developed by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), in collaboration with international organisations, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.

Kyari dismissed opposition claims linking the projection of 33.5 million Nigerians facing severe food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2027 to President Bola Tinubu’s possible re-election bid, describing the allegations as false and politically motivated.

He clarified that the projected figure reflects the seasonal lean period, when food availability is typically reduced, and represents a slight improvement compared with the 34.8 million Nigerians projected to face similar challenges in 2026.

The Minister acknowledged that food insecurity remains a major national challenge, noting that addressing the situation requires sustained efforts and cannot be achieved overnight.

He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to rely on the assessment to guide targeted interventions, strengthen support for farmers and improve access to safe, nutritious and affordable food across the country.