The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has released a damning report of imminent or looming hunger in African continent as the result of Covid-19 pandemic unless a workable solution is put in place to arrest the horrible situation. In its report, FAO pointed out that Nigeria is one of the African countries that would be hit by hunger. It identifies Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states to have a cumulative population of over 2.3 million people living in hunger between April and May this year. The figures may jump any moment from now. Even before the outbreak of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic and FAO report on the likely hunger in Nigeria, indications have since emerged that the country may fall into the hunger trap. The volume of humanitarian crises arising from farmers/herders conflict and the activities of bandits in North-west states which have displaced thousands of rural farmers are worrisome. These condemnable phenomens have disrupted food production chain in the country. Added to these woes they is the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to the farming season.
The raining season has commenced in many parts of the country. However, government policies geared towards addressing or containing the increasing rate of the killer virus (Covid-19) such as inter-states lockdown and curfew imposed by many state governors may hinder the successful agricultural production in the country. Although, the government has exempted farmers from the lockdown, which means they are free to go to their farms, the policies have put spanner in the wheel of their business. Security agencies, which by order are supposed to comply by government directives to allow farmers to have access to their farms, are often accused of extortion. Besides, the exorbitant price of fertilisers, pesticides and other farm implements will contribute greatly towards discouraging farming activities. So far, fertilisers are beyond the reach of the common man with the price of NPK reaching between N16,000 and N17,000 per bag. Sadly, the farmers will spend the little capital they have during the lockdown period and leave nothing to invest this year.
The post Covid-19 committee should look at the issues raised by the FAO with all the seriousness it deserves. With the National Bureau of Statistics recently putting the number of Nigerians living below one dollar at 83 million, the country cannot afford to slide to hunger again. Since the inception of the Buhari administration, it seems there has been a paradigm shift from oil to agriculture sector. This can be attested through numerous agricultural policies and programmes implemented to guarantee food production and sustainability. The ANCHOR borrowers policies of the Central Bank has boosted rice production significantly. I think, more than ever before, the country needs new inclusive agricultural policies to avoid FAO’s doom predictions. Government at all levels should invest massively in agricultural production. Our peasant or local farmers should be assisted through interest free loans. Finally, the government should flood our local markets with improved seedlings and affordable fertilisers.
Ibrahim Mustapha,Pambegua, Kaduna state08169056963
