The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Ibrahim Kabir, in this interview shares his thoughts on rising food prices and predicts that food prices will escalate in Q1 2022. Gilbert Ekugbe brings the excerpts
According to FAO, agro-food systems are failing across the globe posing great threat to global food insecurity. What can be done to salvage the situation?
The principal reason for the food system failures around the globe is the new normal occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic but as the UN’s Secretary advised there are dialogues going on to reinvigorate the global food systems by mitigating climate change, deploying innovations, adoption of various technologies, ensuring transparency and the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Nigeria there are now concerted efforts to address all these as well as scaling synergies between all stakeholders in the agriculture space to avoid working at cross- purposes.
What are the major challenges hindering the agricultural sector that you would want immediate actions by the federal government to address?
Today there are various interventions in agriculture especially by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and National Agriculture Land Development Authority (NALDA) without real stake-holder buy-in. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the farmers need to be carried along because there are some actions being taken that are actually inimical to progress being made in other areas such as the importation of seed of any kind into Nigeria, which is not helpful to the Seed Act-2019, the PVP Act-2021 and the ARCN Act-2021, not involving AFAN in the activities of ALDAN and CBN creates serious gaps in the food system as seen in no repayment of loans and the food inflation being experienced at the time of harvest despite the colossal investments being made. All farmers must unite and speak to power with one voice for any meaningful and sustainable food system to evolve in Nigeria.
Climate change amongst other factors has continued to affect the crop yields and farmers’ incomes. What should be done urgently to address this situation especially in the midst of rising food prices?
Climate change is real and we should not at all be in denial of it so deliberate and decisive decisions should be properly implemented to mitigate it take. Mr. President committed to this at the COP 26 in Glasgow and so all Nigerians must walk the talk seriously.
Farmers are complaining about the high level of rejection of Nigerian agro commodities in United States and EU markets over issues of non-compliance to global standards. What are your thoughts on this?
We must embrace Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in our production otherwise the situation will remain with us even on the AfCFTA platform. On our part we are continuously urging the farmers to embrace G.A.P and, therefore, urge the government and all stakeholders to incorporate this in all their advocacies.
Nigeria’s population is expected to hit about 264 million by 2030. Will Nigeria be able to meet the future demand for food?
We are very hopeful that we will be able to do that if we do not have policy summersaults and create the right kind of synergies among all stakeholders in the agriculture space. The issue of insecurity is a serious threat factor to our food system so it must be stemmed. Our power supply is important to processing, so we must make it work properly to be able to have sustainable food sufficiency. We are currently doing “seed connect” at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja under the auspices of NASC (National Agricultural Seed Council) with them. We are also working with them in so many areas including Seed Tracker and BASICS with Dr. Kumar, Dr. Godwin Atser and Professor Sanni all of the IITA.
What will Nigeria be doing differently to address food shortages and rising price of food products? Nigeria should convene a special stake-holder dialogue immediately! It should consolidate the Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP) to become Consolidated Agriculture Promotion Policy (CAPP) as Nigeria’s Agricultural policy for 2021-2024 since there is have no time to pursue the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) in the time available for this administration. Nigeria should push for all stakeholders to address the food system in unison with AFAN and insist that interventions by the CBN, NALDA and the FMARD be synergised for sustainability and efficacy.
What is your take on Anti-open grazing and how best can Nigeria practice best farming practice as it relates to cattle rearing?
I will advise for further dialogue on this matter as well as more explanation of the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP) to the governors and all stakeholders in the livestock space.
Are you satisfied with the level of financial commitment into the nation’s agricultural sector by the federal government?
There are many provisions in so many cross cutting Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs). But the major problem is implementation, which is work in progress. I sincerely wish the current agriculture minister and his team success as he strikes me as capable with what seems to be a patiently listening mien!
Despite interventions from the government, agricultural trade remains constrained by poor infrastructure. What do you think is missing?
Stable power supply and efficient transportation as well as dependable rural infrastructure will harness our agricultural investments, certainly and I look upon these as work in progress so we will get to Uhuru shortly!
What are your projections for 2022 concerning rising food prices? What should Nigerians expect?
I foresee price hike in food to exacerbate in the first quarter of 2022 and probably reach a crescendo in March 2021, but to slightly come down in May, 2020 if the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) is properly resuscitated and takes off in earnest and if by then also our security situation improved and the world is able to concur the COVID-19 pandemic there will be a general stability in the food system and Nigeria will be better for it.
What should Nigerians expect from AFAN come 2022 in terms of policy advocacy and engagement with the FMARD?
AFAN has always been in the vanguard of the advocacy for effective policy implementation at all levels and will continue to do its utmost. The current agriculture minister, Dr. Mohammed Mahmud Abubakar, seems to be focused and listens to solid advice and so AFAN is hopeful for better impact.
