The Leaking Basket

Several events have resulted in a food insecurity crisis which should be of utmost priority to the new government. Security issues such as the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and herder-farmer conflicts have severely affected agricultural productivity in key states, disruption of global supply chains initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war have exposed the extent of the country’s dependence on imported food items, and the worst bouts of flooding in recent memory have led to widespread destruction of farmers, farmlands and farm produce. Although almost all states have been affected by at least one of these unfortunate events, their combined forces have converged to devastating effects in one particular state: Benue State.

In a far less popular gubernatorial election, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia emerged victorious and is the new governor of Benue State. In his victory speech, the catholic priest spoke of a new dawn of shared prosperity and commitment to addressing persistent security challenges. Blessed with fertile soil and historically known as the ‘food basket of Nigeria’ due to the vast quantities of different crops grown in the state, Benue remains critical to food security in Nigeria. Benue State is the largest producer of soyabeans, cassava, mangoes and oranges in Nigeria, second largest producer of yams and third largest producer of rice. In many ways, the state of the agricultural sector in Benue is a microcosm of the challenges and opportunities facing the broader sector nationally, hence solving the food crisis in Benue could go some way in solving the food crisis in Nigeria.

In the past decade, herder-farmer conflicts have ravaged the North Central where Benue is located, with the region accounting for 60 per cent of all casualties in 2021. In April, there were reports of a devastating attack in Benue State which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 46 people. This recurring conflict has led to the displacement of over 1.5 million people in Benue State, the majority of whom are farmers and have been unable to access their farms for several years now. In addition, those who have not been displaced from their communities have been reported to face difficulties accessing their farms or transporting their produce to markets in other communities due to a justified fear of being attacked. The resulting reduction in agricultural production from the food basket of the nation has massively contributed to the food inflation seen in the country in the past few years. The price of garri, a staple food once treasured as a cheap source of calories for the masses, has seen its price triple in the last three years, largely driven by reduced cassava production in Benue State.