News in Brief:
– Farmers in Northern Nigeria face a multi-pronged crisis as insurgency disrupts livelihoods and forces displacement.
– Rampant farm equipment theft cripples agricultural investments and climate change aggravates these challenges through erratic weather patterns and droughts.
Farmers in Northern Nigeria face a daunting array of challenges during the dry season, with insurgency, rampant farm equipment theft, and the intensifying impacts of climate change posing significant threats to their livelihoods.
Insurgency
Insurgency, primarily driven by the activities of groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, has wreaked havoc on agricultural communities. Farmers in affected areas have been forced to flee their homes, abandoning their fields and livestock.
Some of the worst-hit states in terms of terror-related activities include Zamfara, Adamawa and Borno States.
Borno State especially has been adversely affected in this regard. The state, which used to boast a wide array of agricultural produce, including millet, tomatoes, beans and livestock, has shrunk its green output by a sizable percentage. Terrorist attacks have led to entire villages being decimated, leaving behind fertile lands now barren and inaccessible.
Consequently, the psychological trauma inflicted by these attacks on the victims, further hinders agricultural productivity.
Mr Ahmadu Jibrin, a farmer from Maiduguri, Borno State, spoke to this publication via a telephone call, describing the dire situation.
“As I’m speaking to you now, many local government areas of Borno state have been overrun by terrorist groups, especially Boko Haram. Many communities indeed have to resort to paying some form of protection money to these bandits to cultivate their farms, and even then, safety is not assured,” he said.
Furthermore, he explained that the situation is complicated by the presence of multiple terrorist groups operating in the area, often clashing with each other for territorial control.
“The worst part about it is that even when some communities manage to pay some levies to these terrorists to allow them to cultivate their farms, another group may swoop on the farmers and kill them right there, making many farmers flee their farms to save their lives,” he added.
Jibrin further revealed that insecurity has permeated throughout Borno State. Towns like Dumba, Yatakura, Tilma, and Madayi are effectively under the control of one terrorist group or another.
A recent news report indicates that suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 farmers in the Dumba community in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.
Reportedly, the attacks were carried out as a form of punishment for farmers suspected of providing information to security operatives about the terrorists’ movements.
Our source decried the situation while noting that despite the deployment of soldiers and the government’s efforts to create ‘safe zones’ for farming, terrorist activities persist.
Farm equipment theft
Meantime, beyond the direct impact of violence, the pervasive fear and insecurity have created an environment where farmers are reluctant to invest in their farms. This reluctance is compounded by the alarming rise in farm equipment theft.
Tractors, irrigation pumps, and other essential machinery are frequently targeted by criminals, leaving farmers financially crippled and unable to cultivate their land efficiently.
In recent months, reports of such thefts have surged in states like Kaduna and Zamfara, where farmers are increasingly hesitant to leave their equipment unattended, even for short periods.
Bitrus Jang, a sweet potato farmer in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau State, disclosed that farm equipment theft has become a significant problem in the region.
“I have witnessed no less than three different occasions of theft on my farm within a month,” he said. “The last incident was very distressing because not only did they cart away our water pumping machine, they also made away with a sizable portion of our harvests.”
He urged relevant authorities to intensify security efforts in the North to prevent the situation from worsening.
Climate change
Additionally, climate change is exacerbating these challenges. Erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures have disrupted traditional farming practices.
Many parts of Northern Nigeria experienced severe droughts, leading to crop failures and widespread food shortages.
Borno and Yobe for example, have had significant damage to lives and property in recent times as a direct result of the effects of climate change. In both states, thousands of hectares of farmland were affected by drought. The resultant loss to farmers contributed to a rise in food prices across the region and beyond.
Effectively, the unpredictable weather conditions make it difficult for farmers all over the country, to plan their planting schedules and invest in appropriate crops, increasing the risk of losses.
Impact and the way forward
The cumulative effect of these challenges is a significant decline in agricultural productivity in Northern Nigeria and by extension, nationwide.
Food inflation remains high, forcing many families to skip many hitherto considered culinary essentials. This publication reported a situation of exorbitant prices for oil and even onions recently, which many homes had to reduce or even do without especially during the recent festive season.
Doubtless, the economic repercussions extend beyond individual farmers, as it significantly impacts regional and national food markets.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has over time implemented various measures to address these issues. These include security operations to combat insurgency and programs to support farmers with improved seeds and fertilizers.
However, analysts generally opine that these efforts have yet to yield substantial results.
Therefore, they stress the need for more comprehensive and integrated strategies to tackle the multifaceted challenges facing farmers in Northern Nigeria, in a bid to ensure food security for the region.
