The Arewa Economic Forum has reported that over 100,000 hectares of land remain uncultivated across northern Nigeria due to insecurity.
Previously, this land significantly contributed to the country’s food production, however, insecurity and climate change, among other factors, have threatened food security in Nigeria.
In March, the United Nations predicted that 82 million Nigerians, representing 64 percent of the country’s population, might go hungry.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the forum’s Chairman, Shehu Dandakata, urged the Federal Government to seek multilateral support to make these farms cultivable again and boost food security.
Dandakata noted that , “The challenge of banditry has left more than 100,000 hectares of land lying fallow across northern Nigeria with big silos that are not put under cultivation. These were farms that previously supported food production across Nigeria.
The Federal Government needs to empower the Bank of Agriculture to secure a multilateral facility to make those farms cultivable and return them to production to ensure food security.”
Dandakata also called for the establishment of ‘Safe Enclaves’ for cattle rearing in the northern part of the country to address the insecurity affecting the region. He noted that the prevailing security challenges began with cattle rustling over 15 years ago before escalating into banditry.
“Our appeal is to the Federal Government and all well-meaning Nigerians to put all hands on deck to address this issue of insecurity if we must overcome food scarcity,” Dandakata said.
“Just yesterday, the Association of Rice Farmers said Nigeria can only produce 57 percent of the rice it requires if all land is under cultivation. This shows the kind of danger that Nigeria is in, and any country that does not have food security is at risk of breaking up.”
The Arewa Economic Forum is proposing additional solutions to help mitigate the issue. “For example, we are proposing what we call safe enclaves for cattle rearing,” Dandakata explained.
“It is a known fact that the first victims of banditry are the Fulanis because this banditry started from cattle rustling and continues today. Safe enclaves will help the herders congregate in gazetted grazing reserves where the government could provide all the necessary support.”