Nigeria! A country filled with cheese and honey!
Gone are those days when the above words are used to describe Nigeria. A country that is blessed in virtually all ramifications. When it comes to natural resources, I really do not know if there is another country in this world that is as endowed as my dear country. From mineral deposits to crude oil, natural gas, coal, limestone, fertile agricultural land, and human capital. To cap it all, the country is bordered by seas and oceans, enabling the development of seaports which have opened up rigorous economic activities within and outside the country.
With all the luxuries, one would expect Nigeria to be a mini-paradise on earth. However, this has not been the case. The country did well a few years after the colonial era. Major development encapsulated the nooks and crannies of the country, the Naira (Nigerian currency) was performing well against major world's currencies and things were looking rosy until the civil war broke out and the discovery of crude oil later in the early 70s.
Prior to the discovery of crude oil and the ushering-in of the oil boom, the bulk of the development that took place was funded from proceeds from agriculture. The northern region was popular for its groundnut (pyramid) and other staple foods such as yam and potato while in the south, proceeds from palm oil, rubber, cocoa, etc. were used to drive the economy and infrastructural development. We were largely self-sustainable in terms of food production and economic development.
The turning point was when deposits of crude oil were first discovered in Oloibiri, Bayelsa, in 1956. The peak of the oil boom was when the then military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, openly said that the problem of Nigeria is not money, but how to spend it. Today, Nigeria not only suffers from inadequate financial power but is also at serious risk of running into a food crisis. Nigeria's external debt currently stands at 32859.99 USD Million and it is now apparent to everyone that no major infrastructural development can take place without borrowing.
Food Crisis in the Horizon
The covid-19 pandemic and the lock-down that ensued have created a ripple effect on an already fragile economy with inflation and unemployment rates standing at a high figure. Food prices are currently at a record high level. The price of Gari, a staple food that is generally believed to be for the poor has more than doubled between the period preceding the lock-down and now.
Inflation is, however, not limited to only food items. What makes food more important is that no one can live without it. Food represents one of the most basic needs of man and only after the body system is energized that man can think of other things such as clothing, shelter, getting a nice ride, or even flying in the sky. According to a major consensus among scientists, no one can survive without food beyond 21 days. If you are lucky enough to get access to water, perhaps you can spend up to 40 days without food.
One can point an accusing finger at the covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying socioeconomic effects as the reason for the high prices of food but that would not tell the entire story. The level of insecurity in the country can be said to be the primary reason for the looming food crisis.
The current Nigeria is designed in such a way that people no longer show interest in agriculture. Hence, a large percentage of the food being consumed by the entire population is being produced by very few individuals. The bulk of the individuals who are heavily vested in agricultural food production are in the Northern region of the country. People in the Southern part of the country are either busy getting educated to take up white-collar jobs or in the business of buying and selling for profit. In other words, one can say that the North produces what the entire country would eat.
With many regions in the North now being plagued by insurgencies in the form of Boko haram, ISWAP, and banditry, the handwriting is now on the wall for everyone to read. Combine the listed issues with the spiralling effects of the pandemic and you will agree with me that we are sitting on an imminent time bomb.
How did we arrive here?
It is very simple, the rate at which foods are being produced has not been able to keep up with the rate at which our population is increasing. To make thing worse, more people are leaving agricultural food production than joining. Agriculture started suffering neglect from the government since it seems more profitable and less stressful to just sell crude oil and get foreign exchange.
Multinationals started establishing companies in Nigeria once it became obvious that we were going to be rich from the oil proceeds and started employing educated people, paying them fat salaries that made farming look like jobs for the destitute. Generations that survived on farming started seeing farming a dirty job and decided they would rather their children become educated and take up less stressful, more profitable white collar jobs. Farming did not only suffer neglect from the government but also from the people. Farmers were generally looked down upon by those that can afford to farm and harvest in minutes without having to visit the farm - those with enough purchasing power to buy farm produce from the market.
Currently, Nigeria is some way off in being able to feed herself despite being blessed with arable land from the South up to the far North. Very few people are into agriculture. Even those that studied agriculture related courses at the University level are busy walking the streets of the country in search of paid employment. Many consider it too demeaning to go to the farm after their level of education. Even those that do not have former education would rather do menial jobs that have nothing to do with agriculture. The lack of relevant policies and inadequate infrastructure to support farmers and agriculture by the government have made farming to become more odious to the citizens.
To make matter worse, insecurity in certain parts of the country has disrupted agricultural logistic chains and sent away many farmers and potential farmers from the farm. The notorious Fulani herders have destroyed thousands of hectares of lands and even killed farm workers without any repercussion. Farmers are being kidnapped and made to pay huge ransom before they are released, otherwise they are killed. At some points, news emerged that insurgents were collect a form of tax from farmers before they are allowed to access their farms.
Way forward
According to statist, over 9 percent of the entire Nigerian populace suffered from one form of hunger or the other as at the year 2019. Since then, insecurity level in the country has more than doubled and the economic effects of the pandemic added. With the current food inflation, it would be interesting to know what the percentage looks like. Many that use to considered themselves as middle class can no longer afford adequate meals into their systems.
Considering the body language of our government/politicians, it does not look like there is or there would be any solution from the stable of the government any time soon. The onus now lies on the citizens to fathom a way out of the impending hunger as soon as they can.
Like I said earlier, we are blessed with arable lands and agriculturally favourable weather and climate. We have seen crops growing where they were not planted because the crop's propagules mistakenly got dispersed to the area. If crops can grow and flourish without being tendered to, how much more if they are intentionally planted and nurtured?
We need to retrace our steps back to agriculture. To the era where we were sustainable when it comes to feeding ourselves. We can not continue to wait on the government for policies or amenities that will encourage us to farm and we do not need to go commercial in our farming activities. Individually, if only we can plant what we will eat, the effects it will create on food prices in the market would be enormous. A couple of tomato/pepper plants in our backyard, a row of maize here and there, vegetables nursed in pots, etc would go a long way in relieving pressure of demand in the food market. Might not seems like a big solution, but definitely a practicable and effective one.
Thank you all for reading.