There is every indication that a major food crisis is imminent in Nigeria. The recent warning by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, on the looming shortage of rice might just be a pointer to what is already starring Nigerians in
the face.
The Minister raised the alarm over recent flooding across the country and its implications on rice farming, especially, warning that if nothing was done urgently, the country might witness a shortfall in rice production next year.
Nigeria, which is still the largest importer of rice in Africa, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nation, has already made a great improvement in local rice production in the last three years through the concerted efforts of both the Federal and States Governments. But the gains are just about to be wiped off by the rampaging flood that is currently washing away farmlands in different parts of the country, including the rice-producing states, as the rice import bill is expected to rise by 12 percent in 2019 because of the new challenge.
Already, the country’s $22 billion food import substitution bill is considered a burden on the economy even as statistics from the Central Bank of Nigeria indicate that massive food importation, especially rice, wheat, sugar and fish, is costing the country a whopping N1 trillion loss
annually.
Speaking at the inauguration of National Agricultural Seed Council Molecular Facility and the 2018 Seed Fair and Farmer’s field day in Abuja last week, Ogbe could not help but explain the
problem .
“We have to find out a way to assist farmers, who were affected by the flood; places like Jigawa, Kebbi, Anambra and Kogi were majorly affected. Farmers lost everything they
planted…
“We are also hoping that as soon as the rain ceased, we are encouraging farmers to replant so that the residual moisture on the soil plus irrigation can give us another crop by the end of December or early January.
“Otherwise, we will be in serious trouble for rice, millet, sorghum and maize next year,” the Minister
said.
We really commend the Minister for raising the alarm so early for Nigerians to know the problems awaiting them in terms of food security as a way of preventing them from being caught
off-guard.
We recall that Nigeria recorded above-average cereal harvest in 2017, though prices of coarse grains remained high because of the weak Naira . Despite that, food security situation really improved last year. But the ongoing flooding and its devastating effects on farmlands and food-producing rural communities should be a matter of concerns to every Nigerian. Aside the impacts on agriculture, infrastructure and other facilities were also destroyed . The effects would, no doubt, compound the problems occasioned by the inability of internally displaced persons to return to their communities to resume their normal farming activities . The multiplier effect would be the food shortage that most Nigerians would have to go through next
year.
The National Emergency Management Authority has already warned communities displaced by the ongoing flooding not to return to their communities immediately, saying the flood had yet to cease .This warning, of course, shows the seriousness of the challenge at hand. NEMA has also listed the 2018 rainstorm as the worst in six years after the 2012 devastating floods. The floods, according to NEMA, have destroyed over 60,208 hectares of agricultural lands . The extent of the damage is also expected to increase once floods have
receded.
With the food baskets of the nation at the mercy of nature coupled with the current insecurity, especially in Benue, Plateau and the North-East States, Nigeria, really, must brace up for the challenge
ahead.
Short and term measures at tackling the challenge should be explored by the government given the importance of rice as a major staple food in the country. Farmers in other states should also be encouraged to go into rice farming using the
success stories in the rice-producing states as motivation. Above all, permanent solutions should be found to the cause of perennial flooding in the
country.
