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Flooding: Food Scarcity, Rising Prices Imminent

Flooding: Food Scarcity, Rising Prices Imminent

There are strong indications that the prices of food items may continue to rise due to the devastating floods that have ravaged most states and washed away farms and destroyed people’s properties.

Farmers in different parts of the country have lamented that the floods have sunk their investments as they warned that if government failed to intervene quickly, there would be food scarcity in 2023.

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development revealed that the flood had led to the death of over 500 persons, with about 45,249 houses destroyed and 70,566 hectares of farmland destroyed.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sani Gwarzo, told journalists on Tuesday that the flood was comparable only to the 2012 flood in terms of human displacement, livelihood disruption, infrastructure damage and environmental dislocation. He said the National Emergency Management Agency confirmed that as of October 9, the water level at Lokoja and Makurdi along Rivers Niger and Benue was 11 per cent above that of 2012.

“So far, the flood has wreaked havoc in 31 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. Over 500 persons are reported dead; 1,411,051 persons affected; 790,254 displaced persons with 1,546 persons injured. Furthermore, 44,099 houses are partially damaged; 45,249 houses damaged; 76,168 hectares of farmland partially damaged and 70,566 hectares of farmland are destroyed by the great deluge.”

Meanwhile, in Nasarawa State, where over 400,000 residents have been displaced, some farmers told Sunday PUNCH that crops worth millions of naira had been washed away. A farmer in Tunga community in Awe Local Government Area of the state, Ibrahim Jibrin, told one of our correspondents that he lost his farm to the flood.

He said, “The flooding has really damaged my farmland. All the crops I planted have been washed away. “Now, I am confused because I used all my money to farm and in the end, I would get nothing out of it. It is very sad that farmers are facing this kind of challenge this year.”

Another farmer in Toto LGA, Yakubu Haruna, who is into rice farming, could not hold back tears while speaking with our correspondent. “The water came unexpectedly and took over my farmland. Now, there is no rice to be harvested and that’s a waste of my efforts,” he narrated.

He feared that there might be food scarcity if nothing was done. “From what is happening now, there will be food scarcity next year if the government does not come up with quick solutions to address the issue, and it may discourage some people from farming next year,” he added.

In Anambra State, an official of the State Emergency Management Authority, Mr Chukwudi Onyejiofor, said over 60,000 farmers in the state had been displaced from their farms. He called for massive intervention of both federal and state governments to avert food crisis.

The state Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, said the state government had set up a committee to look into the challenges and impact of the disaster. The king of Abala Kingdom, Fredrick Egbunokonye, who was constrained to leave his palace due to the flood, said farmland had been submerged.

Speaking in Asaba, the monarch said, “The flood has been a major issue because the communities are submerged. On the other hand, most people are not eager to relocate because of their farms. We were able to evacuate those ready to relocate.

“We are still pleading with those reluctant to relocate, but most of them borrowed to invest in the farm. Most people are still in the villages. The flood is overwhelming; we need the federal and state governments to assist the council because the entire Ndokwa East is submerged. Abala-Oshimili is the worst hit, the flood is at the roof level.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to take the issue of dredging the River Niger seriously as a solution to the annual flood.

Also speaking, the Onowu of the kingdom, Chike Ugwunmadu, said about 90 per cent of Abala-Oshimili was presently under water, while the President-General of Abala clan, Fidelis Ogbuji, noted that the worth of farm produce damaged by the flood would be about N1bn “and we are still in harvest period.”

He warned this would cause food scarcity in 2023 because of the submerged unharvested crops.

The Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Godfrey Enita, said he inspected 100 hectares of rice farm taken over by flood at the Benin-Owena River Basin Authority in Ngegwu, Ajaji-Illah, Oshimili North LGA. He described the loss as colossal.

He noted, “When the report got to me, I did not know it was of such magnitude. More than 70 per cent of the entire rice farm land is under water. These are people the government should encourage, particularly those who invested much only to experience this huge loss due to flooding.”

Enita gave an assurance that the state would liaise with appropriate authorities to support the farmers so they could remain in business. He said the loss could discourage farmers if they were not assisted. He said discourse around flooding was crucial to food security.

Delta varsity shut

However, owing to the flood that has affected most parts of the institution, the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibuogwu, announced the immediate closure of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.

The commissioner during an assessment on Friday expressed shock over the impact of the flood on the university, noting that students would be safely evacuated. Some faculties, the Health Centre, library and other facilities were affected.

He added, “This is a big loss for me and to many others whose farms were overtaken by the flood. I only hope that it doesn’t push some of us to depression. Unfortunately, this will lead to food shortage.”

In Plateau State, a resident of Jom community in Kanam LGA, Hajara Yinusa, whose farmland was destroyed by the flood lamented the situation.

He stated, “After the flood destroyed our farmland, some officials from the LGA came to inspect the damage promising to assist us with relief materials to alleviate our suffering. But since then, we have not heard from them.

“From the destruction caused by the flood in many farms across communities, I fear there may be acute hunger in the affected communities if nothing is done to assist them.”

AFAN demands intervention

Meanwhile, the National Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Yunusa Yabwa, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the sector.

He said, “Based on reports from the states, it has affected thousands of hectares of farmland. We are seeing there will be a serious increase in the price of rice next year.

“I fear that by December, the price of (bag of) rice may go as high as N100,000, Hunger is a catalyst for insecurity and crime. The absence of grains will continue to affect the price of bread as well.”

In the same vein, the National President, Nigerian Agro Allied Farmers Association, Lizzy Igbine, said, “We started the harvesting of maize in August, so most of the maize is not in the farms. The problem is cassava, and grains like millet and sorghum. These are on the farm. This flooding has affected people will lose money. “We don’t have that data, but people have really lost a lot.”Speaking on the fears of scarcity in the country, she said, “Soon, the impact will be felt.

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