Agriculture and Food Security in Northeast Nigeria: Challenges, Prospects, and Policy Implications

Agriculture is often regarded as one of Nigeria's most important food security industries, particularly in the northeast. However, the region has faced significant challenges in recent years, impacting both agricultural production and food security. This article examines the relationship between agriculture and food security in Northeast Nigeria, focusing on the key factors that influence agricultural productivity and its impact on regional food security. The study utilises a qualitative and analytical approach, relying on secondary material such as government records, scholarly publications, and reports from international organisations. It investigates how insecurity, climate change, environmental degradation, farmer and farmland displacement, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to modern agricultural inputs have all harmed farming activities and food production in the region. The ongoing insurgency has impacted agricultural practices, particularly in the Northeast, by diminishing crop fields, destroying rural livelihoods, and displacing agricultural workers. According to the findings, low agricultural output is one of the causes contributing to increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty among the region's rural families. Despite several government and humanitarian efforts to boost agricultural production and food security, considerable obstacles remain. The report highlights the importance of sustainable farming practices, greater security, modern farming methods, and rural infrastructure development in Northeast Nigeria for improving food production and long-term food security. According to the research, agriculture must be promoted in order to solve food insecurity and improve regional socioeconomic stability.