Floodwaters from the River Niger have wreaked havoc on rice farms in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga Local Government Areas of Kebbi State, crippling one of Nigeria’s most productive rice belts and leaving farmers in despair.
The floods, which swept through vast farmlands, destroyed rice crops worth millions of naira and dashed the hopes of hundreds of farmers who had invested heavily in this year’s planting season.
With Kebbi playing a central role in Nigeria’s rice value chain, the disaster has raised concerns about food supply and farmer livelihoods.
“This situation is strange and unprecedented,” lamented Shuaibu Gidanbindigawa, one of the affected farmers. “The water from the River Niger took over our farms, and now the rains have washed everything away. Farmers who once harvested over 100 bags of rice now have nothing.”
He warned that without urgent support, the loss would go beyond individual farmers to affect food production across the state. “This is not about sympathy visits; we need real support. Many of us invested all our wealth in these farms. Governor, your people are in desperate need of help,” he pleaded.
The disaster came at a critical time when Kebbi state has been a major contributor to Nigeria’s rice revolution, driving production through initiatives that boosted both local consumption and national food security.
The floods, however, have put this progress at risk, with affected farmers calling on the state government and political leaders to intervene swiftly.
For communities in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga, the devastation is more than just economic loss—it is a blow to their survival and to the state’s role as a rice production powerhouse.
