NIGERIA’S FOOD SECURITY CRISIS: AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT AND POLICY REFORMS

 By Oluwafemi Ayooluwa

As each presidential tenure passes by, Nigeria appears to be sinking deeper into economic downfall. Various aspects of society that are meant to serve as pillars for the economy continue in a downward slope and this has led to numerous causalities for its citizens. A major cause of food insecurity in Nigeria can be traced to agriculture and the inadequacies surrounding it. 

From lack of adequate infrastructure and machinery to ineffective agricultural reform, these inadequacies appear to be impossible to solve considering the numerous administrations that have come and gone and left them in their wake. However, there are some incentives that, when followed righteously, can yield progressive growth in curbing food insecurity in Nigeria.

For starters, the Nigerian government can take a page out of the book of the world’s largest food producing country, China, and invest in agricultural reforms and policies. Just like every business venture, farming requires funding and the provision of governmental policies that support farmers in acquiring loans from banks at low interest rates will go a long way in ensuring that there is enough food in the market which will consequently reduce the food insecurity rate in the country.

Investing heavily in modern farming machineries and storage infrastructure is another aspect of the farming industry that the present administration can venture into in order to curb food insecurity. The Nigerian government should not focus on the amount of capital it will take to modernize the farming industry but should rather see it as an investment for the greater good of the country and its citizens as having these machineries in place will increase the efficiency of the farming process and ultimately reduce food insecurity. The same can also be said for having standardized storage infrastructure.

The introduction of biotechnology in the farming industry is another incentive that will prove profitable in curbing food insecurity in Nigeria. Through the use of scientific tools and techniques, green house farming and genetic engineering, the production of food crops will not only be bountiful but would also be time efficient.

Aside from developing various aspects of the Nigerian farming industry as a means of ensuring food security in Nigeria, the need to effectively curb the level of break-ins by bandits and farmers and herders clash is also imperative. Over the past decade, kidnapping, robbery, killings, and insurgency attacks have been the trademark of farming particularly in the Northern part of Nigeria. Numerous efforts made by the Nigerian government to extricate these obstacles have achieved very little. The present administration should, however, remain resilient in tackling them and put in place firm punishments for anyone found guilty of being a detriment or setback to food production by farmers. 

The availability and functionality of transportation networks also play a vital role when it comes to food security. The need for standardized transportation systems is a necessity in order to bring harvested goods to the market. The present administration in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should provide free transportation services for farmers to be able to transport their goods to the wholesalers and retailers.

Above all, regardless of how promising various strategies for curbing food insecurity may be, without the right attitude towards this national problem, very little will be achieved. The government bodies directly involved in eradicating food insecurity should have a positive and determined attitude towards achieving it’s set objectives.