El Niño threatens Nigeria’s food supply, raises farm costs – IFAD

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has issued a warning that the developing El Niño weather phenomenon could severely impact Nigeria's food supply and raise farm costs. The report, titled 'Food Systems Under Stress: Building Resilience from the First Mile,' highlights a potential agricultural drought corridor stretching from Senegal through Nigeria to Ethiopia and Sudan.

The report warns of suppressed rainfall during major El Niño events, which have previously caused localised rainfall deficits of between 20 and 35 per cent across the Sahel. Such deficits could lead to yield reductions of 15 to 30 per cent for major rain-fed staple crops like millet, sorghum, and maize. Although the forecast for the West Africa-Sahel corridor carries a lower level of confidence, the warning raises concerns for Nigeria, where millions of households depend on rain-fed agriculture.

The report estimates that the 2026/2027 El Niño could cost the global economy as much as $11tn over the next five to six years, including direct agricultural losses, damage to infrastructure, and wider economic disruptions.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.