Listen to this articleKANO, Nigeria: On one Wednesday in 2011, Ummai Dahiru, a 43-year-old widow, was struggling to make ends meet in Unguwar Rimi, a community in Bagwai Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano, northwest Nigeria. The five mudus of rice that she had anticipated to sell, failed to sell as fast as usual, leaving her with an unexpected shortfall in profit.
With Mariya, her daughter, entirely dependent on her, Ummai felt a pressing need to find a solution. Ummai told The SolutionsPaper that she made her way to a neighbouring compound, where the women in the community congregated to engage in a variety of communal activities, such as pounding grain, knitting, and hair plaiting. There, she hoped to find a way out.
Ummai suggested to the women that instead of buying food items individually that wouldn’t be sufficient for their families, they should pool money, buy food items and then cook and share among themselves. “It’s called Haɗaka, and I first heard about it from a relative that came to visit,” Ummai explained. ‘Haɗaka’ is the Hausa term for potluck which typically involves two or more women pooling their resources to prepare a shared meal. This communal meal-making tradition, deeply rooted in Hausa culture, allows resource-challenged households to meet their basic food needs, as well as forge bonds of community and solidarity.
To establish a Haɗaka club, a trustworthy leader is essential to oversee the collection of funds, procurement of ingredients, and equitable distribution of the cooked food using a measuring cup or serving spoon, ensuring a fair share for all participants.
Hafsat Shu’aibu, a Haɗaka leader at Lungun Maƙera, another community in Bagwai, explained that when a meal is about to be prepared, members dedicate their time and come for shared responsibility. “While some are at the fireplace, others will be preparing the spices and more. You will think that it’s one kind of ceremony that’s taking place,” Hafsat said.
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Nigeria’s hunger crisis
Despite being initiated over a decade ago, Ummai’s idea remains highly relevant today due to the persistent rise in food prices which has continually compromised the quality and frequency of meals for many families. Nigeria’s ranking on the Global Health Index has had a free fall from 40th position in 2011 to 109th out of 125 countries, with a score of 28.3, indicating hunger levels are serious.
According to the Jollof Index, the cost of preparing a pot of jollof rice, a staple food in Nigeria, increased by 29.3% between October 2023 and March 2024 rising from ₦13,106 to ₦16,955, primarily due to the Naira’s devaluation and the sharp rise in rice prices, which went from ₦56,000 to ₦87,000 over the same period.
The situation has continued to worsen to the point where it has ignited widespread protests across various states, as people take to the streets to express their frustration and discontent with the escalating hunger crisis and economic woes.
The soaring food costs have also taken a toll on the Haɗaka clubs, causing a significant decline in their ability to operate effectively. Since March, the clubs’ reduced functionality has worsened the existing hunger in the communities they serve. Hafsat, one of the club’s leaders, stated that the price hike of a mudu of rice going from ₦2,100 in April to ₦3,800 underscores their situation, “beans price has also skyrocketed. Spices too, not to mention firewood.”
Haɗaka clubs guaranteed nutritious meals
When inflation took a toll on her hairstyling business, Amina Inuwa soon realised that the ₦1,000 she spent every day in preparing food for her family of four would no longer be enough. As the situation worsened, Amina, a resident of Unguwar Rimi, met a friend who introduced her to Ummai’s Haɗaka club, which guaranteed her sufficient meals while it lasted. “In Haɗaka, I contribute ₦1,200 only and it’s enough for us for lunch and dinner.” Amina told The SolutionsPaper. This contribution afforded them to enjoy a flavorful meal of Jollof rice and beans on certain days, or Tuwo da miya, a comforting staple within the Hausa community.
But the clubs have crumbled under the weight of soaring prices, leaving members with no choice but to turn to vendors for individual meals that are not satisfactory.
Inuwa Muhammad, Amina’s husband, recalled that there was a day when he returned home from his farm, eagerly anticipating a satisfying meal from his wife’s Haɗaka club. Instead of the expected food, his wife presented him with steamed foetid cassia, locally known as Tafasa. He said that the ₦500 he had given her earlier that day was only enough to afford. This highlights the struggles many families are facing due to the declining effectiveness of the Haɗaka clubs.
Even though Inuwa suffered from stomach aches after consuming the steamed leaves, he revealed that they have become a desperate solution for many households in his community, including his own, when hunger strikes.
Hamza Muhammad, spokesperson for the head of Bagwai, emphasised the need for government intervention to address the escalating costs of food and essential items. He advocated for policies to regulate prices and urged the government to support local food initiatives like Haɗaka, “this way I’m certain initiatives like Haɗaka, that have crumbled or are about to, will be revived to continue to play their vital roles for the well-being of communities.”
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Editing: Zubaida Baba Ibrahim
Abdulaziz Bagwai is a registered community health practitioner, a creative writer, and an early-career multimedia journalist. His writings have appeared and are forthcoming in different local and international publications.