Why Nigeria is yet to achieve food security
or kill them outrightly.
‘‘So, most of these farmers are afraid to go to their farms and this is affecting the country’s effort at food sufficiency,’’ he said.
The National President of Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria, Chief Dan Okafor, said majority of Nigerians would continue to experience hunger if concerted efforts are not made by the relevant stakeholders to check insurgency, kidnapping, produce theft as well as farmers/herders clashes.
‘‘These are the major security challenges facing farmers on daily basis. Let me tell you, many farmers can no longer go to their farms for fear of attacks, so how can the nation attain self-sufficiency in that kind of situation,’’ he asked.
Chief Okafor also faulted the nation’s budgetary system, adding that the annual allocation to agriculture is either too small or not released in full.
He frowned at the absence of quality seeds for farmers, saying what is being given to farmers are mere grains and not seeds, which according to him, hinder the nation’s efforts at food security.
Chief Okafor, who is also the Vice chairman of AFAN, also cited climate change as one of the reasons the country is finding it difficult to attain food security.
‘‘Many countries are working hard to address the impact of climate change on their food production but the reverse seems to be the case in Nigeria, so tell me how do we attain food sufficiency,’’ he said.
Chief Okafor also spoke of the ‘‘neglect of value addition to the agric produce’’, saying the country is getting it wrong in the area of processing, packaging and preservation.
Dr Salihu Ahmed Gusau, who has worked in the agricultural sector for over 40 years, outlined a number of problems facing the country’s self-sufficiency drive.
“Number one issue has to do with funding….if there are sufficient funds; we should be able to cultivate all the potential agric areas in Nigeria. We have over 80 million hectares in Nigeria, unfortunately, up to date, we are not utilising up to 40 million and the main issue is funding in the sense that Agric inputs are not available because farmers don’t have the capital. Banks are not lending because you realize that the farmer does not have the collateral to give, and the actual people doing the farming are those people who don’t have the money. All these big farmers that have 300 hectares, most of them don’t rely on that, and because they have money, they put the money there but the farm practice is not there,” he said.
Absence of functional strategic reserve system
According to Dr Salihu Ahmed Gusau, the nation does not have a functional strategic reserve system that allows the government to mop surplus and release it later when there is a shortfall in supply, adding that the silos are basically empty.
“We have completely abandoned our strategic reserves. Our strategic reserves are not serving the purpose for which they are there. For example, every year you have tomato shortage because we don’t have a reserve and the moment it starts raining, these things will be scarce in the market and they will be very expensive,’’ he said.
He added; ‘‘if the government had reserves everywhere, the moment prices start rising, it will release the commodity into the market and that will crash the price’’.
Other experts named rising cost of production across the country, poor infrastructure for value addition such as power, road and rail networks and multiple taxation as some of the problems facing production.
The way forward
Dr Aliyu Samaila, an agric expert said the country must pay attention to mechanization, which can aid farming and address postharvest losses.
‘‘Banks should also give loans to farmers to support farming. Another aspect is that our agric production is just one major season (rainy season). Dry season facilities are few and need to be upgraded’’, he said.
Dr Salihu Ahmed Gusau, who is a retired federal director, stressed that government agricultural policies were long overdue for review and must involve real farmers who are actually doing the farming.
He also thinks that extension services must be rejuvenated.
AFAN President, Kabiru Ibrahim said, ‘‘what the present administration is trying to address such as curbing illegal importation as well as guarantee farmers’ access to loan at the interest rate less than 10 percent will address some of the challenges.
A researcher, Prof. Kevin Amaefule, called for reduction in the cost of animal feeds to sustain livestock, poultry production and ensure food security in the country.
Amaefule, a Professor of Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike made the call in an interview in Umuahia. The professor said this was necessary to shortage of feeds and ingredients that would sustain production.