Plateau State, known for its lush vegetation and rich agricultural land, is facing an unprecedented drought that has left farmers in despair.
The drought has severely affected food production, making food scarcity a looming reality for the people of Plateau State.
Farmers in the state are lamenting the scarcity of rain, which has caused their crops to wither and dry off.
The usually fertile land is now parched and dry, making it impossible for farmers to harvest their crops.
The situation is dire, and farmers are worried about their livelihoods.
“I’ve never seen it this bad. We are usually harvesting by now, but there’s nothing to harvest,” Mark Jones, a carrot farmer from Bokkos, told BusinessDay.
The drought has also affected the prices of foodstuff in the market, making it difficult for people to afford.
A bag of potatoes which used to cost N30, 000 to N35,000 now costs N55,000 to N60, 000 depending on the specie.
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Farmers are calling on the government to provide them with irrigation facilities to help them cope with the drought.
The drought has also affected the livestock, as there is no grass for them to feed on.
The situation is getting worse by the day, and if nothing is done, food scarcity will become a reality.
The people of Plateau State are urged to support their farmers by buying their produce, no matter how little.
“The government should also provide support to farmers by providing us with seeds and fertilizers”; Amina a tomato farmer in Wase local remarked
As the drought continues to ravage Plateau State, one thing is certain – food scarcity is imminent. The drought has also affected the state’s economy, as agriculture is a major contributor to the state’s GDP.
The situation is a wake-up call for the government to invest in irrigation facilities and other modern farming techniques.
The people of Plateau State are resilient and will find ways to cope with the drought. However, the government needs to act fast to prevent a food crisis.
John Wuyep, chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Plateau State chapter, said that the drought has severely struck the State significantly impacting food production and affecting farmers in a major way,
In an exclusive interview with BusinessDay in Jos, Wuyep revealed that Plateau South is the hardest hit, with Lantan South/North and Wase local government areas bearing the brunt of the drought. “The situation is dire, with crops withering and dying off due to the lack of rainfall”.
Wuyep emphasised the need for the government to prioritise irrigation farming, which would enable farmers to cultivate their fields throughout the year, regardless of the weather conditions. This, he believes, would help mitigate the effects of the drought and ensure a steady food supply.
The extent of the destruction caused by the drought is still unknown, but Wuyep warned that it would be immense. However, he expressed optimism following the latest prediction from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), which indicates that longer rains are expected to commence this week.
“This forecast has brought joy to farmers in the state, who are now eager to resume their activities. “I seize this opportunity to urge farmers to focus on early-yielding crops, which would help them recover from the losses incurred during the drought”; he said.
The AFAN chairman’s call to action is a beacon of hope for farmers in Plateau State, who are determined to bounce back from this challenging situation. As the rains are expected to return from August 18, according to NiMET, farmers are gearing up to revive their crops and restore the state’s food production to its former glory.
Despite repeated promises, Ishaku Bugama, the plateau state Commissioner for Agriculture, failed to provide updates on the government’s plans to mitigate the impending food scarcity.
BusinessDay correspondent in Jos reached out to Bugama, who promised to call back three times due to official engagements. However, he did not fulfil his promises.
A staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the government was working to improve irrigation facilities in the state. According to the source, the government is taking steps to avert food scarcity, but the efforts are not being publicly disclosed.
The anonymous staff also criticised farmers for not taking the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMET) predictions seriously.
“Farmers need to start taking NiMET’s predictions seriously and plan accordingly,” the source said.
