“If a man stands with one foot in a bucket of boiling water and the other in a bucket of ice, statistically, he should be comfortable,” a quote from *The Vanguard Book of Quotations*, reflects the current state of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, battered by extreme weather conditions. Both the Federal and State governments appear powerless to prevent poor harvests, with floods and droughts affecting key food-producing regions. A third potential disaster, pests, looms on the horizon, adding to the uncertainty.
Floods have impacted 10 states so far: Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, and Kebbi. These states together account for over half of Nigeria’s annual food production. Other large food-producing areas, such as Niger, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, and Katsina, are at risk, while Kogi and Kwara battle severe drought. In Borno State, farming has been nearly abandoned due to the ongoing insurgency, turning agriculture into a life-threatening endeavour.
Reports indicate that in Kano, 14 Local Government Areas are flooded, while Jigawa has lost 2,744 hectares of farmland. Zamfara faces potential flooding in eight Local Government Areas. The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has predicted that 31 states and 148 LGAs are within high-risk flood zones. Farmers in Yobe are already bracing for the loss of their entire harvest season, while emergency relief has begun for those displaced.
Meanwhile, food prices have surged, reflecting the current food scarcity. According to *Daily Trust*, the price of a 100kg bag of newly harvested groundnuts has doubled from N30,000 last year to N60,000 this year, suggesting a harsher period ahead.
**The Unseen Threat of Pests**
While drought and floods dominate the headlines, another potential disaster may come in the form of pests, including locusts and birds. These pests have historically devastated crops after periods of flooding and drought. Should this occur again, Nigeria could face an even more severe food crisis.
**Government’s Response: Inadequate and Disorganized**
Nigeria’s centralized approach to agriculture, where state governors often rely on the Federal Government to provide food, is proving ineffective. Unlike countries such as the United States, where each state manages its agricultural resources, Nigeria’s governors have outsourced their responsibilities, leaving food production and distribution to the central government. This has contributed to the current food insecurity, with many states unprepared to handle the challenges of drought and floods.
While President Tinubu’s decision to allow limited, duty-free food imports was initially seen as a positive step, the implementation has been flawed. The guidelines for importation, such as requiring companies to mill 100 tons per day and have at least five years of experience, exclude crucial facilities like Lagos State’s Imota rice mill, which has not been in operation for five years but could serve the southern market more efficiently.
In conclusion, without swift, comprehensive action to address both short-term food shortages and long-term agricultural sustainability, Nigeria faces a looming food catastrophe. The current strategy of relying on federal palliatives and delayed importation may only deepen the crisis.