The country may be on the verge of a food crisis as a result of the incessant attacks on farmers and the destruction of farmlands by herdsmen, as farmers have started fleeing their farmlands.
It was gathered that farmers were now fleeing their farmlands, while some others now go to their respective farms in groups due to the fear of the herdsmen.
Different group of farmers told our correspondents that if the Federal Government failed to caution the herdsmen, their activities might lead to food scarcity in Nigeria very soon.
According to them, hundreds of farmers have been either killed, maimed, raped or chased away from their farmlands, a development capable of causing severe food scarcity if not addressed.
The Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Otunba Femi Oke, stated that farmers across the country were not happy with what was going on nationwide as regards the clashes between crop producers and herdsmen.
He urged the government to take the policy on agro-rangers seriously, as farmers needed to be protected from rampaging herdsmen if they (farmers) must produce food for the country.
Oke said, “We are not happy at the moment and we want this problem not to repeat itself because most of our farmers cannot feed themselves anymore. Many of them have fled and left their farmlands because of the activities of herdsmen. This can lead to a food crisis any time from now if it is not addressed.
“But I must mention that we are all one and I pray that the crisis does not repeat itself as seen in the past again. The policy on agro-rangers can also help but we want to see it implemented adequately in order to curb all the clashes and menaces we are currently experiencing across the country.”
Also commenting on the development, the President, Nigeria Cassava Growers Association, Mr. Segun Adewumi, said the killings by armed herdsmen had made farmers to now go to farms in groups.
He, however, stated that despite going in groups, the farmers were still moving in fear and many had fled their farmlands.
Adewumi said, “I have the fear of an imminent food crisis in Nigeria if the clashes between herdsmen and farmers continue. I say this because in our own case as cassava farmers, right now, many people are afraid to go to their farmlands. Some now go to their farms in groups, but are still afraid of being attacked. Is this supposed to be so?
“For instance, in Ekiti, a woman was killed some days ago by herdsmen. We also heard of killings in Plateau State. And when farmers go in groups, they are afraid because they know that the attackers can come with sophisticated weapons and guns. So right now, people are afraid to go to farms in various states that I know and this may lead to food scarcity if nothing is done about it.”
Commenting on the matter, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said he was grieved and seriously concerned about the fatal dimension that the herders/crop farmers’ crisis was taking, but insisted that the Federal Government would solve the problem.
He said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
According to Ogbeh, the government’s proposal to set up cattle colonies and the encouragement of ranches are the best options to the killings and the toxic hatred that the current crisis is generating.
He stated, “We didn’t envisage how much high voltage emotion and politicking this issue has generated. I know that the average herdsman is more concerned about the number of his herds than perhaps the milk coming out, the speed the cattle can grow and the value of the meat, which is why he needs education.
“More than this, we also have the leaders, the politicians, we all need education on this.”
The Vice Secretary, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, Adeyemi Amoo, while condemning the rising spate of attacks on farmlands and farmers across the country, told Saturday PUNCH that apart from affecting their activities in the state, the situation had also led to many of their colleagues abandoning the business for other things for fear of being killed.
According to him, if not quickly addressed by the Federal Government, the situation could cause a serious crisis capable of throwing the country into turmoil.
He said, “Already here in Ogun State, a lot of farmers can no longer go to their farms for fear of being attacked. In fact, some have moved on to doing other things to sustain their families.
“A few days ago, these herdsmen attacked a teacher in the community where my farm is located and cut her with a machete. Everybody in that community is living in fear; nobody can even go to the farm there.”
The Coordinator, Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, said the Federal Government must make herdsmen know their limits, stressing that they were also in business like other businessmen and women across the country.
He said, “Cattle rearing is a business like poultry, piggery and others; so if one person’s business becomes a problem to somebody else’s business, government should intervene to ensure that everybody knows where their right starts and ends. That is basically the situation here and we should remove politics from it.
“So it is no longer a fear that farmers share, rather it is a reality. But the food crisis is going to be both ways if the clashes are not brought under control. However, I do not think that the crop crisis will be as imminent as the lack of beef. This is because a lot of beef comes from the northern part of Nigeria to the southern part.”
Ijewere added, “What will happen is that these clashes and the distraught will lead to a situation where the supply chain will be broken; then meat will now become a scarce commodity. As for the crop farmers, I know they will suffer it badly, but it is not as if 90 per cent of farms in Nigeria are being eaten up by cows. But it is very terrible when the herdsmen get to your farm because this will definitely have its impact on food production in Nigeria. However, can we say half the farms in Nigeria are in danger of herdsmen attacks? Mind you, I am not in any way saying that their (herdsmen) attacks won’t affect crop production across the country.” – Culled from Punch.
