Experts warn of severe hunger, poverty due to inconsistent rainfall, insecurity
Some experts have restated that the inconsistency in annual rainfall experienced in the country may affect food harvests in 2024 and beyond.
The experts said in separate interviews with journalists on Friday in Lagos that this could increase hunger and poverty among farmers.
Gloria Bulus, an environmental expert, said the inconsistent rainfall would result in poor yields, stating, “There are certain crops that need to be planted at a particular time of the year for them to thrive, so with these inconsistencies, the harvest of such crops will be affected.
“Also, at the point, some crops are meant to be harvested and it is still raining, it will lead to the destruction of the harvest and automatically threaten food security.
“Poor yields will affect incomes, leading to an increase in hunger, high cost of food and poverty levels in the country.”
On his part, an agriculture consultant, Charles Idonije, said that aside from rain inconsistencies, insecurity can threaten food security in the country.
“The rain inconsistencies may or may not affect food harvest this year because Nigeria is endowed with quality soil texture that can retain groundwater for a long time; however, serious farming even up north makes do with irrigation systems.
“There has always been stop gaps of rain shortfalls in time past which was not too felt like the insecurity insurgence from herdsmen and Boko Haram.
“The food security challenges we face in Nigeria are not factored in by natural tendencies but rather by human diabolic ways and means,” said Mr Idonije.
He emphasised the government’s role in providing infrastructure such as road networks, dams silos and agriculture financing.
“The major militating factor against food insecurity is the Boko Haram/herdsmen insurgencies that have almost become an incurable disease in the country,” Mr Idonije said.
(NAN)
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