Climate Change: FG’s Intervention Revives Onion Production, Stabilises Prices

The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) says federal government’s intervention funds and farm inputs have boosted production and helped stabilise onion prices across key producing states.

The national president of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Isah, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Aliyu mentioned the affected states to be the states of Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Kebbi and Adamawa, adding that the government intervention, including improved seeds and fertilisers, had revived production in the sector.

“The association is thanking the federal government for releasing intervention funds to support affected farmers.

“The assistance included improved seeds, fertilisers and chemicals distributed in those affected states, the support has helped revive production and stabilise onion prices.

“Climate change significantly affected onion production and storage, causing heavy financial losses for farmers,’’ he said.

Aliyu said that flooding from dam incidents and changing rainfall patterns disrupted farming activities in the states.

He cited the collapse of Alau Dam in Borno, which destroyed farms and investments belonging to onion producers.

According to him, the collapse of Alau Dam in Borno State caused severe flooding that destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland, with onion producers suffering significant losses in crops and investments.

“Also, flooding around the Goronyo Dam and Sokoto Rima Basin damaged lowland farms.

“Farmers lost billions of naira due to extreme weather events and rising temperatures,’’ he added.

The president noted that post-harvest losses peaked in 2025 due to poor storage and climate-related challenges, adding that the sector urgently required modern storage facilities across major onion-producing states.

He said that the states needed storage infrastructure, adding that improved storage would reduce losses and stabilise supply.

Isah also emphasised the need for more processing plants to convert onions into value-added products.

He said increased processing capacity would strengthen the economy and reduce waste, adding that the association was also working with partners to train farmers on climate-smart agricultural practices.

He expressed hope that recovery efforts would improve production in 2026, adding that the onion value chain provides employment and income opportunities across farming, processing, marketing and logistics.

He described the sub-sector as strategic for food security, rural livelihoods and regional trade development.

The president said that improved production practices and organised marketing had strengthened Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional markets.

He said that the association aimed to enhance Nigeria’s onion industry by boosting production capacity, improving quality standards, and ensuring profitability for farmers.

He added that the association’s objective was to eliminate counterfeit seeds, developing modern storage to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthening, and promoting export-oriented, branded, and value-added onion processing.

Isah called for continued collaboration between government, private sector and farmers to build resilience.

He, however, urged policymakers to prioritise climate adaptation strategies in agriculture.