Nigeria and the rest of West Africa are expected to experience significant decrease in the production in maize, sorghum, and millet this year.
According to the West Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook, this is anticipated due to agroclimatic challenges, insecurity, and rising production costs.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA ) coordinates the outlook.
The aggregate regional cereal production for 2023/24 is forecast to be about 76.5 million metric tonnes (MT), down by one per cent from the previous year.
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Notable yearly declines in national cereal production are expected in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Mali.
However, the report said rice production would increase.
For most roots, tubers, and cash crops, the report noted that regional production prospects are optimistic.
While the structural rice import gaps would slightly narrow from approximately 8.5 million MT to 7.9 million MT, the outlook indicated that international imports into the region will be constrained by global trade restrictions, shipping costs, lower national exchange rates, and domestic policies.
The report observed that staple prices will remain. This is attributable to a combination of factors, including production deficits, trade restrictions, insecurity in the Sahel, elevated global prices, high transaction costs, and currency depreciation in the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea.
In additionally, the report said Nigeria’s annual inflation will continue to climb, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies.
The report said prices are projected to stay above both average owing to the limited production performance, sustained demand, constrained humanitarian assistance, continuing trade disruptions, and security and socioeconomic challenges in the region.