Farmers Explain Why Nigeria May Be Heading For Famine

Following the brutal killings of over 43 farmers in Borno State by suspected members of Boko Haram, Kaduna farmers on Monday, expressed fears over looming famine in the country.

They lamented that the number of farmers massacred in the attack could be more than 43, as many persons were still missing.

In an interview on Monday, a rice farmer in Kajuru LGA, Mr. Yunusa Abdullah expressed fears that since no state is safe because of insecurity, many farmers are afraid to go to their farm land to harvest crops.

According to him, some farmers in his area were killed recently while attending to their farms.

Also speaking to DAILYPOST, a farmer along Zaria-Kaduna Expressway, Alhaji Budawaya Atachihankeli expressed worries over the increased number of armed bandits terrorising innocent farmers.

According to him, “the peasant farmers are the targets of these kidnappers, but they have forgotten that it’s the farmers that produce rice, beans, corn, yam they eat.”

He wondered why gunmen are after the lives of farmers who produce food stuff they eat.

His words: “as farmers, we don’t have any backup like the salary earners. When we plant, we pray for rain. We pray for good harvest, we pray so that no bush animal comes around to eat our farm products. Yet, we are in fear of Boko Haram, gunmen coming to slaughter us during harvest. What have we done to deserve all these?

“We may be facing a severe food security crisis due to the destructive activities of bandits who are not only destroying farms but also killing farmers.”