Food Shortage Looms As Government’s Palliative Fails To Meet Farmers Expectations

The agriculture sector which is one of the sectors badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic has remained volatile as farmers said the palliatives from the government failed to meet their expectations.

Stakeholders while describing the poor response of the government said Nigerians that are still trying to survive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy may soon be faced with food crisis, as food shortage is gradually creeping in.

Shortly after the lockdown was announced, the Federal Government had said that it would be distributing palliatives to farmers to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the agricultural sector.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had flagged-off the distribution of agricultural inputs to Nigerian farmers to boost agricultural production in the country and avert food scarcity in 2021.

Nigeria’s inflation rate had risen to 13.71 per cent in September as increase in food- prices continue to worsen

The 13.71 per cent inflation recorded in September is the highest increase so far recorded in the last 32 months.

The last time Nigeria’s inflation rate was as high as 13.71 per cent was in February 2018 when the index rose by 14.33 per cent

THE WHISTLER findings revealed that the palliative programme of government may not yield the desired result as many farmers said they have not received the farm inputs.

Speaking to THE WHISTLER, the Vice National Chairman,All farmers Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okafor said that Nigeria may not be able to escape food shortage as farmers are still struggling to meet up with the farming season which is currently at its peak.

Okafor said, “The items that are being shared are too small, and most farmers have not receive anything.

“What the government is doing is bad, we are already at the peak of farming season, and most farmers are yet to even begin farming. Farmers need support.

“The palliative they said they are sharing have not been received. We are at the rural areas, we are yet to see anything from them.

“We will soon have a huge problem arising from food shortage, we will soon begin to see people dying of hunger than the pandemic itself.”

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers in kano, kaduna, Oyo and Kogi states have benefitted from the program.

As contained in a statement from the Ministry, “The program is a distribution of variety of improved seeds and seedlings of yam, maize, oil palm, cocoa, sorghum, millet, cowpea, rice and Kenaf among others to the beneficiaries nationwide.

“Rice seeds worth about 270 Metric Tons and 300 Metric Tons each of certified seeds of FARO, 66, 300 Metric tons of foundation seeds of flood tolerant rice varieties of FARO.

“26 Metric Tons of certified wheat seeds to wheat farmers, 1350 maize production kits, 18,517 Kg of Aflasafe to ensure that the maize produced is aflatoxin-free.

“20 metric tons of breeder seeds of the same varieties to 14 selected Seed Companies that have the capacity to produce foundation seed”.

The Chairman, Kogi State Potato Farmers Association,Yamada Samuel, also faulted the program stating that only few number of farmers were given few seeds and stems without fertilizers or complementary input.

He said, “I was among those that received the palliative, I’m really ashamed of this government. I’m a potato farmer, I was given ten bundles of potato stems without fertilizer or anything else to complement it.

“With the way the government is going, there may be food shortage this year. Farmers need support, and I’m not sure the government is ready to offer the amount of support needed at this time.”

The President, Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation, Mary Afan, said that women registered under the organisation are yet to receive the palliative, as promised by the government.

She added that the association have devised means of distributing farm inputs to members as planting season is already at its peak.