It is becoming routine, every year, for Nigerian farmers to confront various odds in the quest to play their role in ensuring food security in the country. Part of the challenge they must face includes but is not limited to, insecurity and unfulfilled promises by the federal and state governments. Political leaders at the national and subnational levels commonly raise and dash the hopes of these critical stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
Such promises that are never fulfilled include the timely distribution of subsidised farm inputs, tractors, and credits. When interventions come from the government, they are often late, sometimes outside the cropping season, thereby having little or no impact on the activities of the farmers.
This approach to the needs of farmers nationwide culminates in low crop cultivation, poor yields, and post-harvest losses.
We point this out as another cropping season is in the offing. With agriculture in Nigeria still rain-fed, farmers are already mobilising to their farms, especially in a few states where criminals have not taken over all the farming communities.
All over Nigeria, especially in the North Central and parts of the North West, which are the nation’s agricultural hubs, criminals operating unchecked as bandits, terrorists, and armed herdsmen, have made life miserable for farmers. These criminals kill the farmers at will, destroy their crops and houses, and displace them. Consequently, farming communities, which have been deserted, have been taken over by these killer agents.
In other places, these criminals impose heavy fees, fines, and taxes before the farmers can cultivate and harvest their yields. All these have contributed to dampening the interest of the people in agriculture as a profession.
The result is that hunger, poverty, squalor, and malnutrition are on the increase in Nigeria. A recent report projected that 30.6 million Nigerians across 26 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will face severe food crisis between June and August.
The report, conducted by the federal and state governments with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other development partners, revealed that the figure includes 150,978 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
It observed that despite the declining food and general commodity prices across the country, an estimated 24.9 million Nigerians, including 116,765 IDPs in 26 states and the FCT, are currently in a food crisis situation, which may worsen by May 2025.
Another pathetic picture in this hunger and poverty scenario was painted by the World Bank recently when it declared that more Nigerians will fall under the poverty line by 2027. These predictions or forecasts are traceable to the government’s neglect of the agriculture sector, particularly farmers.
It is against this background that, as a newspaper, we challenge the authorities to adopt workable approaches to the problems of insecurity and delayed release of inputs to farmers this cropping season.
So, as this year’s planting season begins and Nigerian farmers gear up to till the land, they should enjoy easy access to essential inputs and be protected against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals now having free rein across the country.
We equally challenge the government to go beyond assurances and take immediate and decisive action to alleviate farmers’ worsening plight and enable them to maximise their productivity.
In this regard, we urge the government to implement comprehensive security measures tailored to the unique needs of farming communities, such as deploying security personnel to protect farmlands, establishing community policing initiatives, and engaging with local leaders to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Also, the timely release of inputs such as fertilisers, improved seedlings, and pesticides is crucial for the success of the farming season. Delays in the availability of these inputs affect the quality and quantity of crops and discourage farmers, leading to poor harvests.
Given agriculture’s critical role in Nigeria’s economy, the government should prioritise providing timely support to farmers. We, therefore, suggest that states embrace and even improve on the example of the Jigawa State government, which has opened 30 centres for the distribution of farm inputs to over 54,000 dry-season rice farmers at a 30 per cent subsidy.
Dr Saifullahi Umar, the governor’s technical adviser on agriculture and food security, recently revealed this. He explained that the initiative was designed under the Jigawa Rice Production Programme, which targets over 200,000 hectares and is expected to expand to 500,000 by 2030.
Given the activities of hoarders in the distribution chain, we urge the government to channel these inputs through farmer cooperatives and associations and strengthen them with access to finance, training, and modern farming techniques. The government should also improve rural infrastructure, such as roads and storage facilities, to reduce post-harvest losses and make farming more profitable for Nigerians.
The success of Nigeria’s agricultural sector is vital to the nation’s economic growth and stability. The government will empower farmers to achieve their full potential by ensuring the timely release of farm inputs and enhancing the security of farming communities.
Policymakers must understand the urgency of prioritising farmers’ needs and taking concrete steps to implement them. The future of Nigeria’s food security and economic prosperity depends on farmers, and their security ought to be non-negotiable.
