Poor rainfall and rising agricultural input costs have significantly impacted maize and rice production in parts of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Prolonged dry spells lasting over a month during the farming season, coupled with high fertiliser prices and other production costs, have affected crop yields. This has heightened concerns over food supply, particularly for staple food crops like maize and rice.
The situation has forced some farmers to reconsider their choice of crops, with many abandoning maize cultivation in favour of soybeans and groundnuts, which require relatively lower production costs. Isa Engine, a farmer, noted that soybean cultivation required less labour and fewer financial resources than maize production. He highlighted that proper timing was enough for soybean farming, eliminating the need for expensive fertiliser application and frequent weeding.
Adamu Ganye, another farmer, attributed the poor harvest in some farming communities to prolonged dry spells, which affected the availability and prices of maize and rice. He compared current prices with those of the previous year, noting that a small bag of maize or rice, which sold for between N20,000 and N22,000, now costs about N35,000. The price of a big bag had risen from between N28,000 and N30,000 to approximately N46,000.
Pwariks Joab, a farmer, said he could not cultivate maize this year due to the rising cost of fertilisers and pesticides. He switched to cowpea farming because it required less financial investment and was less demanding than maize production. Joab lamented that farmers were not finding it easy, as they had to spend heavily on cultivation and transportation, often barely breaking even or operating at a loss.
Titus Takodoba, an economist, noted that poor harvests were caused by several factors beyond inadequate rainfall. He identified hoarding and bulk purchases by wholesalers as additional factors contributing to scarcity and rising prices. Takodoba expressed concern over the concentration of purchasing power in the hands of a few individuals, which had significant influence over market activities to the disadvantage of the majority of consumers.
Takodoba urged the government to introduce measures to address the rising cost of food, support agricultural production, and improve access to staple foods, particularly for low-income households. He noted that both farmers and consumers were uncertain about what the coming months would bring, given that the previous year’s food market conditions were considerably better than what was currently obtainable.
The current situation in Adamawa State highlights the challenges faced by farmers and consumers due to poor rainfall and rising input costs. With maize and rice prices increasing, low-income households are likely to feel the pressure. The government and relevant stakeholders must work together to address these challenges and ensure food affordability for all.
Key points
- Inadequate rainfall and high agricultural input costs have reduced maize and rice production in Adamawa State, Nigeria.
- Farmers are switching to less expensive crops like soybeans and groundnuts due to the high cost of maize production.
- The government has been urged to introduce measures to address the rising cost of food and support agricultural production.
