Insecurity, Dependence On Cash Crops Affect Food Production In Taraba

Persistent insecurity and massive dependence on production of cash crops have resulted in the decline of food production in Taraba State, LEADERSHIP Weekend has gathered.

The insecurity ranging from herders-farmers clashes, communal clashes and bandit attacks have forced farmers out of their originating communities to take refuge in areas they could not access land to cultivate their yearly crops.

Also, farmers who have the opportunity to farm food crops especially during the last farming season have decided to embark on massive production of cash crops, a development that has created inflation and decline in food production in the state.

LEADERSHIP Weekend learnt that most farmers in the state now prefer to farm millet which costs N70,000 per bag; soyabeans – N75,000; groundnuts – N35,000 and benniseed which cost as high as N150,000 per bag, abandoning crops like yam, cassava and corn which are commonly meant for family consumption.
Also, insecurity ranging from herders-farmers clashes, communal clashes and banditry attacks have chased away farmers from Wukari, Takum, Ussa and Donga local government areas from the southern part of the state, an area dominated by farmers.

A trip by LEADERSHIP Weekend from Wukari to Rafinkada, Takum to Kashimbila and Takum to Katsina-Ala discovered that the vast land usually occupied by farmers have been deserted as the villagers have left the areas to take refuge in urban areas as a result of insecurity.

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“We have left Tse Akinde, Tor Genyi, Gbuoo and Tse Kpyieegh at the Wukari borders as a result of communal crisis for over two years. It is a vast farm land several communities have been using to farm with large quantities of farm products. Now, we are finding it difficult to feed our families since we could not go to farm for the past two years,” some IDPs at Tor Damisa in Donga local government area stated.

Also, a trip from Sabon-Gida Takai to Sansani, Dananacha to Gborgbor and Dananacha to Nanguru in Gasol local government area in the central zone of the state revealed that all the farmers left the farm land without being cultivated for over two years for fear of bandit attacks.

In the northern senatorial zone of the state, areas like Yoro Hills in Yoro local government area; Abare, Jenebambu and Menekuni areas in Jalingo local government area which happen to be farm areas, have also been deserted by farmers as a result of insecurity, forcing food production to decline in the state.

When asked during a media chat in Jalingo, Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas said his government is working seriously to return all displaced persons to their ancestral homes to continue with their farming activities.

“We were able to return some displaced persons; they are living within their areas peacefully. We have places where issues are yet to be resolved; we can’t bring people back to be killed. Gradually, everybody will return to his place to continue with their normal activities,” the governor said.