Addressing insecurity and food security in Nigeria
One of the key policies of the present Federal Government is the revamping of the agriculture sector towards ensuring food security. With an estimated population of 200 million, this is quite understandable. Therefore, the eagerness of the Federal Government to make agriculture a cornerstone of the economy is a positive step towards achieving diversification and stability for the economy, especially amidst the dwindling price of crude oil.
According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics to stakeholders from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, agriculture commodities association and farmers in the first quarter of 2018, the agricultural sector which grew by 5. 80 percent, year-on-year in nominal term has declined to 4.01percent and 4.33 percent in the firstquarter of 2017 and fourth-quarter of 2017. Also, the sector’s contribution in the firstquarter of 2018 declined to 17.42 percent as against 18 percent and 21.93 percent in the first quarter of 2017 and the fourth quarter of 2017. Foods inflation for June, 2018 also stood at 12.98 percent as against core inflation of 10.39 per cent and headline inflation of 11.23 percent. The non performance of the sector released for the first and second quarters of 2018 recounted a decline from 3 percent to 1.19 percent respectively.
However, in as much as it is true that insurgency activities grossly undermine efforts at boosting food security in the country, it needs to be stressed that the remote cause of the scourge bedeviling the nation is failed efforts by successive governments to upscale food production through well thought out policies and plan. This lack of proactive development plans on the long-run is what we are currently paying dearly for.
If not quickly tackled, the implication of insurgence on food security could be tragic. Constant encroachment of farmlands will no doubt affect the output of crops coming from the north; the region relied mainly upon for the provision of foodstuffs and fruits in the country.
In Jigawa State alone, more than 70 cases of conflicts have been recorded since the beginning of the 2015 farming season. These cases bordered on encroachment into farms by cattle and farmers misuse of cattle routes. The situation is not different in Nassarawa and Benue States, the food baskets of the nation as Fulani herdsmen persistently engage farmers in feuds that often result in serious causalities on both sides.
Nigeria’s population growth has been acclaimed to be rising at every six minutes. To meet up the pace of our demographic challenge amidst oil short-fall, and recoup profits from Governments’ investments into agriculture, the security current challenge bedeviling the country should be resolved quickly to tame food scarcity and eradicate hunger, poverty, diseases and unemployment. Achieving this would, no doubt, ensure peace and stability in the country.
Reuben Hopo, Lagos.