Abdullahi M. Gulloma
The Presidency has raised what many people have now described as an unnecessary alarm. However, if the alarm was unnecessary, the source through which the alarm was sounded made it even less serious.
The federal government said that the country faces the possibility of experiencing famine, early next year, as a result of the huge demand of the Nigeria’s cereals and grains at the international market.
Speaking during an interview with the Pyramid Radio in Kano, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said unless the “mindless export” of the country’s cereals and grains is curtailed, markets across the country would run short of food by January next year.
“Over the past year, providence has blessed Nigeria with a bountiful harvest of grains, more than enough to feed the country and to export to other countries,” he said. “At present, there is a high demand for grains from Nigeria, from African countries as distant as Libya and Algeria, and from places as far away as Brazil.
“However, the ministry of agriculture has raised concerns about a massive rate of exportation, which could lead to a shortage of grains in Nigeria by January. Huge demand for our grains in the global market is creating an excellent environment for the mindless export of Nigerian grains across our borders and unless this is curtailed, Nigerian markets will be bereft of food by January next year.”
He said officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have advised the President on the need to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the mindless export of grains and other products.
The presidential aide said the ministry estimates that no fewer than 500 trucks, laden with grains, leave Nigerian markets every week for other countries. He gave the name of markets used for exporting the grains as Dawanau Market in Kano state, Maigatari Market, Jigawa state, Bama Market, Borno state, Ilela Market, Sokoto state and three other markets in Kebbi state.
He said that the President had on many occasions reiterated government’s plan to make the country a food-producing giant and self-sufficient.
Unfortunately, he said: “This noble plan could easily be defeated by the pull of the foreign market if foods continue to leave our shores to feed people elsewhere. If care is not taken, Nigeria could face a famine by January.
“Let us remember that charity begins at home,” he said.
Asked what government is doing to avert the frightening situation, Shehu said the President has directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to present plan for the purchase of surplus grains to be stored in warehouses across the country for the rainy day.
And, this is the crux of the matter. Government should purchase grains from farmers, at prices comparable to what they are getting if they sell to people outside our borders, and store the foods in warehouses across the country in anticipation of the day of famine.
For start, exporting food from Nigeria to some African countries is a practice that has existed for a long time. Probably, it now became more pronounced mainly because Nigerians are awakening to the fact that agriculture is a business like any other.
Thus, armed with that knowledge, many have now embraced farming, needless to say that with little or no support from the government.
Essentially, it should be said that businesses are meant to generate profit. I think it is not fair to think that business should accommodate sentiment.
Instead of raising alarm over export of products, government should, in my view, worry itself with helping farmers to produce enough to outdo local demand for grains and, in the process, help producers make more profit.
