President Bola Tinubu’s plan to spice up meals manufacturing and fight inflation might face important setbacks as bandits and terrorists proceed to disrupt farming in northern Nigeria.
A number of sources mentioned many farmers within the area had fled their communities and deserted farmlands within the face of escalating violence, extortion, and fixed threats from prison teams.
Studies point out that the relentless assaults on rural communities, coupled with an environment of worry and insecurity, have compelled farmers to desert their livelihoods.
The disruption has worsened the already precarious meals safety state of affairs, undermining President Tinubu’s efforts to stabilise meals costs and obtain larger self-sufficiency in meals manufacturing.
In his New 12 months deal with, the President promised to implement reforms geared toward boosting home meals manufacturing and supporting the native manufacturing of important items, together with medicine and medical provides.
“We’re dedicated to lowering inflation from 34.6 per cent to fifteen per cent by intensifying efforts to reinforce meals manufacturing and fostering native manufacturing,” he mentioned.
The 2025 finances proposal underscored Tinubu’s willpower to make strides in meals safety, with a heavy deal with agriculture and livestock improvement.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Safety has been allotted N636.1bn within the 2025 finances, a considerable enhance of 75 per cent over the N362bn allotted to the ministry in 2024.
Key areas of funding inside the proposed finances embody N127bn for agricultural gear, one other N127bn for the Renewed Hope Fertilizer Help Programme, and N132bn earmarked for the Nationwide Agricultural Growth Fund.
Nevertheless, the fund is projected to function at a N132bn deficit, necessitating exterior financing.
Regardless of these budgetary provisions, the worsening safety state of affairs within the north – a important agricultural area — stays a significant impediment to the federal government’s meals safety aspirations.
On Monday, Nigerians woke as much as the information of a infamous bandit chief, Dantsito, imposing a N172m levy on some communities within the Tsafe Native Authorities Space of Zamfara State.
The bandit threatened violence if his calls for—payable in both money or foodstuffs—weren’t met.
To keep away from being attacked, residents of the Tsafe West District of the council have been fleeing and abandoning their properties and farms, as they doubt their skill to satisfy Dantsito’s demand.
Niger State
In Niger State, farmers had been warned by the federal government towards returning to their fields, citing the rising menace of Improvised Explosive Gadgets planted by bandits.
The state Commissioner for Homeland Safety, Bello Abdullahi, issued the warning through the 2024 Base Socio-Cultural Actions on the Nigerian Air Pressure’s 013 Fast Response Pressure in Minna.
“We’re warning our farmers to watch out about going to their farms for now. Bandits have hidden IEDs within the floor to trigger catastrophe. The navy should first clear the suspected mine-laden areas earlier than native motion can resume safely,” Abdullahi mentioned.
The insecurity has turn into so pervasive that farmers throughout a number of states have suspended farming actions, triggering fears of looming meals shortage.
Plateau State
Saturday PUNCH learnt that in Plateau State, banditry has devastated agricultural communities with total farmlands destroyed by prison teams.
The Public Relations Officer of the All Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria in Plateau, Wukaska Gowon, mentioned over 100 farmers in Kwall alone suffered important losses when bandits destroyed their Irish potato farms in 2024.
A wheat farm spanning 150 hectares in Bokkos was additionally destroyed, and in Bassa LGA, the identical destiny befell different farms.
Farmers within the areas have expressed concern in regards to the long-term impression of banditry on the state’s agricultural economic system.
“The results are far-reaching, affecting not solely the farmers but additionally meals safety and the financial stability of the state,” mentioned Tobias Dung, a farmer from Barkin Ladi.
He referred to as on the federal government to deal with the difficulty urgently.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Data, Musa Ashoms, on his half, assured residents that the federal government was dedicated to defending farmers and securing farmlands.
Kwara State
Equally, in Kwara State, frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen have prompted widespread abandonment of farms.
A farmer from Alakuko village within the Asa LGA, Sunday Olabiyi, mentioned he misplaced over N7m price of crops to herdsmen grazing on his farm.
The farmer lamented that he couldn’t confront the herders, as one in all his neighbours was killed for trying to take action.
In the meantime, the Kwara State authorities has responded by organising a committee to mediate within the battle between farmers and herders.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Growth, Oloruntoyosi Thomas, saidthe frequency of the clashes had considerably diminished as a result of intervention of the committee.
Katsina State
In Katsina, banditry has displaced farmers from a number of council areas, together with Batsari, Jibia, and Faskari.
Many farmers, fearing for his or her lives, have deserted their crops.
A beans farmer from Batsari, Bala Musa, revealed that his beans had been prepared for harvest however couldn’t be accessed attributable to bandit actions.
One other farmer, Yakubu Mani, recalled when he was attacked by bandits, including that farmers now paid charges to entry their land.
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is equally experiencing banditry assaults, significantly within the jap senatorial zone, the place farmers can not attain their farmlands attributable to escalating insecurity.
A farmer from the Gandi group in Rabbah LGA, Aminu Rabah, mentioned farming had been severely impacted by the continued violence, with kidnappings and assaults turning into an everyday prevalence.
“These try instances; we will hardly go three days with out listening to information of an assault or kidnapping in our communities. Insecurity has crippled farming actions and instantly contributed to the rising value of foodstuffs,” Abdullahi Goronyo, a farmer from Goronyo LGA, lamented.
Benue farmers
Insecurity in Benue State has been primarily attributed to the persistent assaults by herders and bandits, significantly within the Sankera axis.
The world, consisting of Brand, Ukum, and Katsina Ala LGAs, has lengthy been identified for its thriving yam farming.
Nevertheless, a big decline in manufacturing was famous as herders and bandits started terrorising native farmers.
Sankera, as soon as producing roughly 100 truckloads of yams every day, now faces a bleak future.
Nyiekaa Amua, the state chairman of the Yam Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria, confirmed that many farmers have deserted their fields for worry of assaults.
“Many couldn’t farm final yr attributable to insecurity in Sankera, significantly in Ukum LGA, the place we had the very best inhabitants of yam farmers. Although, with state authorities intervention, there may be hope that many individuals will return to farming this yr,” Amua said.
The state chairman of the Rice Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria, Sam Yuwa, echoed comparable considerations, revealing that insecurity from herders’ assaults had prevented many rice farmers from planting final yr.
He expressed optimism that safety enhancements would encourage farmers to return to the fields within the coming planting season.
80% uncultivated Zamfara land
In Zamfara State, there may be widespread disruption in farming actions attributable to escalating incidents of kidnapping, killings, and extortion.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that over 80 per cent of farmlands have remained uncultivated for years as bandits intensify operations throughout all of the 14 LGAs within the state.
Bandits have additionally imposed extortion levies on farmers, and solely those that adjust to the calls for are allowed to farm.
A farmer, Aminu Jangeme, who was compelled to relocate to Gusau after repeated kidnappings, shared his harrowing expertise.
“I had no selection however to relocate to Gusau as a result of the bandits had been all the time in search of individuals to kidnap and demand ransom. I used to be kidnapped twice, however I escaped each instances. On my third kidnapping, I needed to pay N1m to regain my freedom. Instantly after that, I left the village and moved to Gusau city,” he recounted.
One other farmer, Ibrahim Kazauda, confirmed that many individuals in his group had deserted farming attributable to fixed assaults.
He mentioned, “Many people are not farming because the bandits proceed to kidnap and kill those that dare to go to their farms.”
In Shinkafi LGA, a 60-year-old rice farmer, Damaila Idris, described how bandits destroyed his rice crop simply days earlier than harvest, leaving him with no produce for the season.
Renewed Borno violence
Farmers in Borno State are rising more and more petrified of returning to their farmlands attributable to renewed rebel assaults.
Regardless of state authorities efforts to encourage displaced farmers to return, ongoing assaults have left many apprehensive in regards to the prospects for this yr’s harvest.
A retired police officer and farmer, Anda Jiya, mentioned whereas the federal government is likely to be doing its finest, the persistent assaults had made many farmers hesitant to renew agricultural actions.
“The constant assaults will certainly result in poor famine this yr,” she mentioned.
Saturday PUNCH additionally gathered that farmers in Baga, Kukawa LGA, had deserted farming actions as a result of resurgence of Boko Haram fighters.
A feminine farmer within the space, Yahana Izge, expressed concern that the renewed violence would result in widespread apathy amongst farmers, additional exacerbating meals insecurity.
Farmers search safety
In a associated improvement, farmers in Borno and Benue states have voiced grave considerations in regards to the impression of insecurity on their skill to domesticate crops this season.
In Baga, Borno State, a feminine farmer, Yahana Izge, recounted her expertise from final yr when she efficiently planted groundnuts, however now confronted rising worry attributable to latest assaults.
“Final yr, I farmed in Baga, the place I planted groundnuts. However this yr, I’m presently dwelling in worry attributable to all of the latest assaults. We’ve got heard of many assaults prior to now few weeks. Nevertheless, if there may be any important enchancment, I could change my thoughts,” she mentioned.
Equally, one other farmer, Habu Ali, expressed frustration over the insufficient authorities response to meals insecurity.
He famous that farmers confronted a number of challenges, together with the aftermath of final yr’s floods and continued assaults.
Ali questioned the effectiveness of incentives in an surroundings of fixed menace.
“We witnessed floods final yr, whereas we’ve got been witnessing assaults from late final yr to this second.
“If there are incentives and those that use them are scared, who will use them? Or will the federal government present safety to every farmer on their farms? What is occurring deep contained in the bush will not be even identified. For me, perhaps if there can be a distinction earlier than the wet season, I could rethink my resolution, however as of at present, there’s a chance that I received’t be farming this yr,” he said.
AFAN seeks Tinubu’s intervention
In the meantime, the All Farmers’ Affiliation of Nigeria has urged President Tinubu to prioritise tackling insecurity to realize his meals manufacturing objectives.
The Nationwide President of AFAN, Kabir Ibrahim, recommended the President’s dedication to enhancing meals manufacturing however emphasised that addressing insecurity and financial instability was key to success.
Ibrahim highlighted that smallholder farmers, who made up the vast majority of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, wanted assist by means of incentives, entry to credit score, and safety from insecurity.
“We enchantment to the Federal Authorities to take a look at the insecurity challenge as a extreme menace to the attainment of meals safety. All arms ought to be on deck to make sure that insecurity is stemmed,” Ibrahim mentioned.
NSCDC pledges assist for farmers
In response to the rising insecurity, the Nigeria Safety and Civil Defence Corps has reaffirmed its dedication to defending farmers.
The Nationwide Public Relations Officer for NSCDC’s Agro Rangers unit, Babawale Afolabi, mentioned the corps had been actively concerned in safeguarding farmers and their land from assaults.
He revealed that the Agro Rangers, a particular squad inside the NSCDC, confronted operational challenges attributable to restricted manpower and logistical assets.
Afolabi burdened the necessity for higher gear equivalent to drones and bikes, to reinforce their operations.
“We’ve got our squad in all 774 native governments, however there are challenges. In a rustic with over 200 million individuals and fewer than two million safety personnel, that could be a severe problem. It’s going to assist our work if we’ve got drones and CCTV, sufficient bikes, and different logistics,” he defined.
Further experiences by: Isa Ojo, Tunde Oyekola, Religion Maji, James Abraham, Godwin Isenyo, Animasahun Salman, John Charles, Maiharaji Altine