In a groundbreaking move to combat food insecurity and make staple foods more affordable, Kwara Must Change, a prominent Advocacy group, has distributed 40,000 tubers of yam at subsidized rates to over 600 households across Kwara State, Nigeria.
The organization’s “Back to Farm” initiative aims to support small-scale buyers and showcase the potential of local agriculture to tackle hunger amid Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement by the Convener, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group said that the subsidized yam sales have provided critical relief for households affected by inflation and rising food prices.
“We believe the solution to food scarcity lies in promoting local farming and creating a surplus that benefits communities,”
The organization envisions this program as a form of “farm protest”, a sustainable, proactive approach to addressing hunger and reducing dependency on imported foods.
Looking ahead, Kwara Must Change plans to scale its operations significantly.
According to Hamzat, the organization has set an ambitious target to produce over 200,000 tubers of yam in the coming year, a fivefold increase from this year’s harvest.
This expansion will be aimed at further stabilizing food prices and ensuring a steady supply of affordable yams for thousands more families across Kwara State.
“This push is part of Kwara Must Change’s broader agricultural strategy, which includes advocating for rural youth to return to farming, promoting irrigation, and introducing agro-innovation through data sharing to help farmers optimize yields and manage resources effectively” Hamzat said.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with food insecurity, Kwara Must Change’s community-driven initiative offers a practical model for building food security from the grassroots.
The organization calls for support for rural farmers, especially on irrigation, as climate change threatens food security in the country.
