Farmers Battle To Salvage Crops From Floods, Fear Poor Harvest

Farmers across the country are currently engaged in a frantic struggle to salvage their crops from devastating floods while growing increasingly apprehensive about the likelihood of poor harvests due to the inundation of farmlands.

Bu the federal government has reiterated that the ongoing reconstruction and upgrade of the Alau Dam in Borno State is progressing on schedule and is expected to deliver long-term solutions to flooding, water supply, and agricultural needs in the Northeast region.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, provided this assurance during a working visit to the dam site in Maiduguri, where he led a high-level delegation from the ministry to inspect the project.

In a statement released by the ministry, Prof. Utsev stated that the first phase of the project, focused on flood mitigation, commenced in March 2025 and is projected for completion by September 2025. The second phase, which aims to fully upgrade the dam, is scheduled to take place from October 2025 to March 2027.

“This intervention is critical, not just to prevent another disaster, but to reposition this dam as a multipurpose facility for drinking water, irrigation, and potentially hydro-power generation in the near future,” he affirmed.

The minister recounted the September 2024 incident when the Alau Dam overflowed, causing severe flooding, loss of lives, and destruction of property and farmlands worth billions of naira. He emphasized that the reconstruction works are designed to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.

During the inspection, the delegation visited the main dam gated spillway and the cofferdam, where the contractor is reinforcing the structure. Prof. Utsev noted that water levels were under control and directed adjustments to the dam’s gates to allow for regulated water flow during the rainy season. He encouraged the Borno State Government to enhance public awareness campaigns, particularly regarding the importance of halting farming activities along the dam’s embankment, warning that such practices could undermine the project’s integrity.

“We understand that some farmers are still cultivating around the dam embankment, which poses a serious risk to both the workers and the infrastructure,” he stated.

Prof. Utsev expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as to Governor Babagana Zulum for his ongoing commitment to the people of Borno.

As part of the visit, the minister also inspected the River Ngada Bridge, which is hydrologically linked to the dam, and later paid a courtesy call on Governor Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.

 

NIGER

In Niger, farmlands, especially rice farms, in over 30 communities have been washed away by floods.

A farmer in Dere Lapai local government area of the state affected by the flood Gambo Mohammed said the situation has brought most of them to a standstill.

He said the community was taken over by flood and many hectares farmland destroyed.

Also speaking, another large scale farmer in kede Mokwa local government area, Isah Aliyu said it has become annual event hence they have moved to upland ahead of dry season farming.

Last week the state government through the Special Adviser on media, Jonathan Vatsa instructed the communities on the flood plains to move to upland in order to avoid the experience of Mokwa.

 

Ebonyi Farmers Raise Concern On possible Poor Harvest

Despite incessant rainfall in Ebonyi State, the state has yet to record any major flood disasters, thanks to the alertness of relevant government agencies. Local government chairmen, community leaders and state government have embarked on sensitisation campaign, warning residents residing in flood-prone area to relocate.

The Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, has cautioned the people of the area to move to safer grounds as the local government is one of the area expected to witness flooding this year.

Rice farmers in the area have also raised concerns that if the incessant rainfall continues, the state might witness poor rice production and harvest this year.

Particularly, residents of Onu Ebonyi, Inyimagu Izzi Unuphu, Abakaliki Local Government Area appealed to the state government and other relevant agencies to take proactive measures to avert flooding in the area as the rate of rain fall in the state continues to increase daily.

The Village Head of the community, Chief Christopher Esha, while recounting the ugly experience of flooding in the community said that the area is usually submerge by flood adding that properties, household equipment and farm produce are destroyed annually.

Some of the farmers said that rice production might be heavily affected as yam, cassava and maize farmers are partly safe from the possible flooding that might occur.

They maintained that persistent downpours usually lead to flooding, waterlogging, and crop losses across major rice-growing areas in the state.

A Rice farmer in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the State, Chief Francis Nwiboko said the rains came late and since it started, there hasn’t been a day that ‘‘we have not witnessed downpour and it is beginning to affect our rice farms. Nearly half of my rice farm had been submerged due to the heavy rainfall.

“The floods have destroyed most of our work. What is left is already turning yellow. It has been raining almost daily since mid-July. We may not expect a bountiful harvest this season.”

 

Cross River

Farmlands with crops that worth millions of naira are not spared by the flood particularly in riverine communities of Odukpani Local government Area of Cross River State.

Economic activities in the affected communities of Isong Inyang, Okpor, Ito, Ukwa, Idung Ndom, Obiokpor, Mkpara, Inua Akpa,  Ikoneto, Isong Inyang Ikoneto and Ubambat are  currently  in very low ebb following  the destruction of farmlands and houses which had been washed away or submerged in water.

Confirming the incident, council chairman for Odukpani Local Government Area, Mr. Etim Asido, stated that the community residents are now faced by economic hardship.

“We have several flood-prone areas which are presently flooded and our people are suffering. Presently, their economic activities have been disturbed and their crops alongside houses are washed away.

“We have moved some of them to schools and health centres for medical attention and it has not been easy”, he stated.

The council chairman appealed to both the state and the federal government to come to the aid of the victims.

 

KOGI

Farmers in some communities in Kogi State are already lamenting. ‘Our crops are still not matured for harvesting, yet the waters are here,’’ one of them, Jimoh Amadu, said.

But the state government said that measures are being put in place to mitigate the impending flood disaster, following the rising in water levels of both River Niger and River Benue.

According to NIMET prediction, Kogi State is one of the flood-prone states in the North.

Only last week Idah Local Government Area, in Kogi East was completely cut from Lokoja, the state capital as a result of flooding, resulting in the collapse of a connecting bridge.

Similarly, following the flood in Kabba, in Kogi west, the state government and National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) promised assistance to flooding victims in Kabba, Kabba-Bunu Local government area, reiterating their commitment to providing relief materials and other support to affected residents

However, the acting managing director of the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Alhaji Jimoh Haruna Gabi equally urged residents of riverine communities and flood prone areas in Kogi state to move to higher grounds immediately just as the Executive Secretary of the agency, (SEMA), Muktar Atimah, assured that the Emergency Operations Centre would be fully operational in the coming days,

“We have identified over 258 communities located along major waterways as most vulnerable.

‘‘We also engaging with traditional rulers, youth groups, religious leaders and other grassroots actors, to disseminate vital information on relocation plans and precautionary measures in case of flood. We are equally calling for improved community effort in maintaining drainages and relocating from high-risk areas.’’

 

ABIA

Flooding has already occurred in Abia State in some parts of Aba North, Aba South, Obingwa, Osisioma, and Ugwunagbo local government areas.

‎Although there has not been any records of crop damage the government has started what it described as a robust awareness and sensitisation campaign on the alert by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

The campaign is led by the Ministry of Environment, the State Orientation Agency, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigerian Fire Service, and the Nigerian Red Cross.

 

PLATEAU

Some farmlands have been destroyed in Plateau State as a result of the rainfall, but the state has called for vigilance among farmers and in flood-prone areas.

In a statement signed by the state commissioner of Information and Communication, Mrs Joy Ramnap, the state called on residents in flood-prone communities across the state especially Mangu Local Government Area to be on high alert and take proactive measures to ensure their safety and that of their properties.

“This call has become necessary following the recent devastating flood incident in Shimankar, Shendam Local Government Area, which resulted in the destruction of farmlands.

‘‘Shimankar an agrarian community cultivate rice in commercial quantity in the state. The flood has swept most of the rice farms in the area,’’ she said.

Also speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, the Councillor representing Shimankar, Mazawaje Daniel Danjuma said the flooding has particularly affected rice farms as floodwaters with sand overwhelmed the fields.

In the same vein, Mr. Sylvanus Namiel a rice farmer who was affected by the flood told one of our correspondents that he lost closed to 10 acres of rice farms to the flood.

Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, said he has taken a decisive step towards tackling environmental challenges by initiating an institutional framework in collaboration with the World Bank to generate reliable data aimed at mitigating floods, droughts, and other natural disasters confronting the state.

The Governor disclosed this during an interactive session with the World Bank team led by Mr. Francis Samson Nkoka, Senior Disaster Management Specialist, and Mr. Oluwaseun Ayodele, Urban Development Specialist, held at the Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

In a statement issued by the director of press and public affairs, Mr. Gyang Bere, Mutfwang expressed appreciation to the World Bank team for extending their support to sub national governments, particularly Plateau State.

He assured the team that accurate and up-to-date data will guide government action through effective planning and targeted interventions.

“Flooding remains one of the most common disasters we face, but we are also contending with drought in the Southern Zone of the state. Recently, we experienced nearly three weeks without rainfall, which destroyed early crops planted by our farmers,” the Governor said.

He noted that the ACReSAL Project, which predates his administration but is now under implementation, forms part of ongoing efforts to address these environmental threats.

 

DELTA

Many communities in Delta State are faced with imminent ecological disaster, with crops worth millions of naira already lost to flood in the state.

Mostly affected communities like Isoko, lgbodo, Ughelli, Ugboba, Kwale, Ukwu-Nzu, lllah, Obomkpa and others, have begged the state government to intervene and address the impending danger to food production.

The Secretary of Ugboba Community Development Union, (UDU), Chief Otobo Ofili, said heavy rainfalls and flooding are detrimental to their agricultural production, saying lots of damage through flooding have visited their crops in the farms and drown livestock.

Benedicta Okpobo, from lllah, Oshimili north LGA, said she lost livestock, including fish ponds to flooding. One of our correspondents gathered that in another area where the livestock is not completely lost, they get affected by a number of diseases due to exposure to flood water.

Most devastating is the farmlands and stored agricultural products damaged by flood in Kwale and Okeh, lsoko south LGA. The store keeper, Matthew Odibo, said. He regretted that the crops are unrecoverable after a flood occurred.

 

IMO

The torrential rainfall across the country have resulted in flooding in some part of Imo State.

 

The impact of the flooding surfaced in Ohaji  Egbema council area, precisely in Ogboru village, flood have taken over  the Abacheke Primary Health Centre,  Apostolic Church, Salzan Industries, and the Community Primary School.

 

The situation is same for Udekpunata village, where residential areas and farmlands are already flooded.

 

A famer, Ndukuba Opara revealed that farmers have proceeded to harvest crops prematurely so as to salvage what remains before full submergence of their farmlands.

 

RIVERS

 

Ongoing rainfall as predicted by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency has led to flood in many parts of Rivers State, especially in communities in Ahoada-West local government of the state.

 

LEADERSHIP Weekend observed that the development has led to the premature harvesting of farms crops, especially cassava, in the area..

 

Speaking with one of our Correspondents, a farmer in Akinima community, headquarters of Ahoada-West LGA, Grace Sunday, said premature harvesting of cassava has led to crash in the price of garri.

 

He revealed that they now sell a basin of garri, which was initially sold at the price of between N13,000 and N15,000, for between N5,000 and N7,000.

 

She said: “The three farms that I have, I cannot even harvest the cassava to take to the market. A basin of garri now is better N5,000 and N7,000. Before now, it was between N13,000 and N15,000.

 

“Due to the flood as a result of constant rainfall, the cassava that I couldn’t harvest is now rotten and there is nothing to take away from that farm.”

 

Also speaking, another farmer, Osimeya Goodnews, said he is confused going by what the current flood has brought to the people of the area.

 

Goodnews said: “The situation is disturbing me and I don’t know what to do. Our farms are submerged with water. The cassava is rotten and when you harvest it, they are black and there is nothing you can pick out of it.”

 

 

 

BORNO

 

Following the collapse of eight buildings, submerging of graveyard with displacement of residents after three hours of heavy downpour last two weeks, farmers in the state have appealed to the Borno State Government to protect them and their farmlands against imminent flood disaster.

 

During the heavy rainfall, many areas like Bulumkutu, Damboa,  Moduganari in Maiduguri were heavily flooded, while a graveyard in jajeri in Jere local government area of the State, which was submerged by the flood caused apprehension to the people.

 

Recall that the September 10th, 2024 flood disaster that resulted from the collapse of Alau Dam destroyed lives and property with displacement of over a million residents.

 

Farmlands and farm produces were equally washed away during the incident, hence farmers and residents are appealing to the State Government to ensure that adequate measures are taken to forestall recurrence, especially having in mind that the Alau Dam is still undergoing rehabilitation 10 months after the disaster.

 

A rice farmer in Zabarmari, a farming community in Jere local government area, Mallam Ali Usman has raised concerns the flooding experience within the short period of this year rainy season, noting that proactive measures like massive drainages of the various communities food production will be a challenge this year.

 

“We recalled how we lost our crops to flood during the last year flood disaster when the Alau Dam collapsed during rainy season. And this year we have started witnessing flood again. We are appealing to government to take measures to prevent loss of farmlands and farm produce to farmers,” Usman pleaded.

 

The State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has however allayed fear of residents of Maiduguri and Jere local government areas over possible flooding of the areas and their farmlands through the Alau dam.

 

 

 

BENUE

 

Following the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet)’s prediction of an impending flood in Benue, the state government has advised residents living along flood-prone areas to relocate to safer areas.

 

This is even as farmers in the State especially in Makurdi and its environs have continued to commend Governor Hyacinth Alia in the area of erosion control.

 

Some of the farmers in Makurdi like Lydia Awua,  a pumpkin farmer popularly called ‘ugwu’,  Terdzugwe  Asar, a rice and maize farmer and Mdevaan Saaior, said they hoped for a better harvest this year unlike before when their farms were always washed away by flood.

 

“From 2019 to August 2023 we were not finding things easy we lost all our crops to floods, all our rice farm, maize, cassava and even yams were washed away, our houses at Gyado villa were always submerging anytime its rains but now we only see water when it is raining and after a while the surface gets dried

 

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Dr James Iorpuu, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday in Makurdi informed that government had also taken steps to mitigate the negative effects of the impending flood on food produce.