BY GLORIA
As commodity prices continue to soar in Nigeria, households are adopting innovative strategies to feed their families without succumbing to the steep market prices. One notable trend is the shift towards home production of various foods, including milling grains and baking bread.
Families are increasingly opting to produce their own food at home, a move aimed at cutting costs and mitigating the impact of rising food prices. Commonly produced items now include spaghetti, bread, spices, and flours for traditional dishes like powdered yam, wheat, oat, guinea corn, and millet.
Mrs. Shodimu Neemat, a food vendor, shared her experience of adapting to these changes. She began producing her own spaghetti when the price jumped from N200 to N1,200. “The cost of everything food-related has increased tremendously in the market,” she explained. “As a food vendor, I used to make spaghetti jollof in large amounts for sale, but the increasing cost reduced patronage because the portions became very small.”
To solve this problem, Mrs. Neemat turned to traditional methods of spaghetti production using flour, eggs, and salt, either with or without a machine. This shift has not only helped her maintain her business but also improved her patronage.
Mrs. Agbasi Immaculate, a teacher, has also embraced home food production. “The state of the economy has made me learn many things, including producing my own food and spices,” she said. With the abundance of online resources, she has learned to make various dry and wet foods, some of which were traditionally produced but had been abandoned for convenience.
These stories reflect a broader trend of self-sufficiency in food production as a response to the economic challenges facing many Nigerians. By returning to homemade food, households can navigate the high cost of living while ensuring their families are well-fed.
