News in Brief:
– The Nigerian government expressed deep sorrow over the devastating impact of flooding and drought on farmers.
– It has pledged to provide relief measures and address the root causes of these disasters while promoting sustainable practices to ensure food security.
The federal government of Nigeria has expressed deep sorrow over the devastating impact of flooding and drought on farmers across the country. The dual challenges have led to significant losses in agricultural produce, leaving many farmers in dire straits.
In a statement released by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the government acknowledged the plight of farmers affected by the natural disasters. The minister emphasised the administration’s commitment to providing necessary support and relief measures to help farmers recover from their losses.
According to the minister, the situation is a ‘deeply troubling development, with significant social and economic implications for our rural communities, particularly small-scale farmers.’
Additionally, Senator Kyari admitted that the situation will affect this year’s harvest, but expressed the wish that the destruction will have a minimal effect on the country’s food security.’
However, he reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving the nation’s food security targets, while intensifying efforts in dry season farming to mitigate losses.
The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) reported that massive flooding has devastated farming communities in Shagari and Bodinga local government areas of Sokoto, Gamawa and Zaki areas of Bauchi, Anka and Talata Mafara local government areas of Zamfara states.
The deluge in these areas have led to the loss of thousands of hectares of farmlands, creating a crisis situation in those areas, demanding urgent disaster relief measures, being mostly agrarian communities.
Conversely, the authorities noted the impact of the dry spell in other parts of the country, including the North East, North Central and South West. Minister Kyari stressed the need to invest in technologies and practices that empower farmers to adapt to a changing climate.
He noted that this was especially important in a bid to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers in those areas.
Key relief measures: smart agriculture adoption
Effectively, the minister mentioned that the government is embracing smart agriculture and the use of early maturing seeds to boost a sustainable and secure agricultural sector.
To this end, he revealed close collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in constituting a joint committee. Kyari said the aim of this committee is to explore ways to expand areas under cultivation during the dry season and boost food production.
Overall, the government has called on all stakeholders, including farmers, civil society organisations, and international partners, to work together to address the challenges posed by flooding and drought.
