Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Following the floods that have ravaged farmlands in the northern part of the country, agricultural experts and big-time players in the agro-allied industry have sounded the alarm over an impending food crisis across the country as agricultural fortunes dip in the North.The experts insist that unless urgent and very drastic steps are immediately taken, the crisis may worsen as floods continue to ravage farmlands in the northern states.Ten states, namely Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto and Kebbi are highly affected, following heavy rainfall in the region. Meanwhile, down South, the  Chief Imam of Osogbo, Shiek Musa Animasaun, on Sunday led a prayer session to seek God’s face over the lack of rain being experienced in the state in recent months.The Chairman, Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Shiek Maruf Isola, who spoke in Yoruba language, in his sermon, said divine intervention for rain had become necessary as the drought being experienced was already having a negative impact on the residents.

Nigeria's average cost of basic food items is expected to surge in the coming months due to farmers exporting their bumper harvest to neighboring countries in exchange for foreign currency. This decision, despite the challenges posed by rising food inflation, puts food security at a threshold. Farmers in northern Nigeria have confirmed bumper harvests of crops like millet, sorghum, beans, and maize, but many are exporting to countries like Niger Republic, Cameroun, Chad, Ghana, and Asia and Europe for higher revenue.Many Nigerian farmers are exporting their produce due to attractive prices offered by international buyers, according to the Kano State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria. Middlemen from the southern part of the country purchase grains from farmers in the north and promote local food export to other African countries. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Jigawa State is working on strategies to make local sales more attractive to farmers, and the Federal Government is working on policies to encourage local sales, including providing incentives for farmers who sell their produce locally.