ESCALATING FOOD PRICES IN NIGERIA

[dayo oyediran]

the continous neglect of the nigerian smallholder farmers by the government is one of the major causes of the high prices of foods in nigeria.although, much have always been said about the need to provide good transportational network, appropriate credit scheme and adequate storage facilities to the farmers but the government seems to be unconcern about the whole issues. unfortunately, the condition of an average nigerian is becoming more deteriorating as he searches for food daily. however, these problems seems not to have arrived yet as their is an higher probability of bigger ones in the future if the government fails to address the pressing situation on ground. if this is the case, how can we then move out of this nightmare and come to the light of the day? can there ever be a way through?

[Makanjuola Olaseinde ARIGBEDE]

Hello Dayo:

Thank you very much for raising this all important issue for family consideration in an intensive way. You have highlighted Nigeria and this is okay, but the crisis is indeed a global one and the promised deterioration of the situation would also be global in scope. The dominance of the Agribusiness dominated approach to producing, marketing, storing of food, without any sense of cultural responsibility and totally in line with the class domination that pervades all our countries' economy must produce this effect. You are correct that a different paradigm, which places emphasis on the smallholder family farmers and their eco-friendly, sustainable, agroecological approach to food production, with food sovereignty for all nations, would be the ultimate solution. I must not forget to assure you, in response to your question as to whether or not there is a way out of the situation, that what you and you colleagues in the Youth Platform of USMEFAN, and all other such initiatives, represent a major way forward toward the solution. For, whilst it is asolut ely correct to focus on smallholder farming as an important direction for world agriculture to go, it must be emphasised that such smallholder farming must be, not the degrading type that has successfuly imnjpoverished and degraded our farmers all over the Global South especially, must be a thoroughly reconceptualised one. It must place the farmer at the very center of planning for food production, bend technology in their favour with special attention on gender fit so that the immense contribution and wisdom of the women can be fully harvested, confer dignity and secure, ever improving livelihod on the farmer, make farming a worthy vocation of which practitioners, particularly the younger ones who have been exposed to institutional preparation can be justly proud. It is at the center of your tasks, that this reconceptualisation must be struggled for, not expected as a gift from governments that are mostly willfuly deaf. A major campaign, to assist these recalcitrant politicians see the correct road, must be planned, waged in an ever widening circle around the world. The wisdom and traditional knowledge and skills of the adult farmers currently on the scene are very important to tap, but your exposure, cultural advantages, energies and strong commitment must complement these for a full realisation of our vision. We must discuss practical ways in which this task of reconceptualisation and advocacy whould be waged in each country and linked in all countries, as a major task that the worldfamily needs to take on. And it is you, all your colleagues, who must lead us.

I have a lot more to say and would certainly return to this discussion in time, but for now, let me stop and leave room for others to take up the discussion.

Sincerely,

'Seinde

[Jemilehin Oluwaseun Opeyemi]

It is good that this type of discussion is coming up at this time. For us to over come this problem our government at all level must learn how to do the right thing at the right time. What I mean by this is that in their agricultural reforms they should try and carry the local farmers in this case the small holder farmers along because they are the ones feeding this country. Whatever the government may be claiming to do now in regard of food production in Nigeria without the farmers is a waste of time and resources.

[OLUWASEYIFUNMI KOMOLAFE ARIGBEDE]

"We must discuss practical ways in which this task of reconceptualisation and advocacy whould be waged in each country and linked in all countries"

This is the issue that is on my mind daily, I recently read the following book by Tavis Smiley: "The Covenant in Action", it has given me ideas of how to go about advocating and forming a US chapter here in the US that will not only get together to discuss the problem of good food production, but also practical ways in which to approach Companies and Governments. I will come here as often as I can, as I learn and grow and move toward action with WorldFamily here in the US.

[Oladunni Aina ARIGBEDE]

Re - Escalating Food Prices In Nigeria.

Hello Dayo,
Thank you for bringing this issue up for sharing. Your observation is very appropriate at this time. Since you are specific about Nigeria, I shall also restrict my response to this country even though the issue is a global one.

In Nigeria, we are blessed. Blessed with both human and natural resources, despite the threat of erosion in some parts and the dreaded climate change.

Now that it is raining, especially,the abundant vegetation in most parts of the country is highly encouraging for people who want to farm. But what do we notice? People are disillutioned and afraid. There is hardly any incentive for people to want to farm. If and when they finally summon up the courage to, the harrowing experience from government extension workers; land preparation expences; high cost of imputs; bad roads and conseqent high transportation cost; the squeeze impossed by the middle men who want to reap where they have not sowed; all these together make it impossible for farmers to make any head way. Yet we know that Nigeria is agrarian in nature and agriculture should rightly form the foundation of our economy.

It is an understatement that the government has a major role to play in boosting food production as well as reducing the hardship confronting smallholder farmers. Unfortunately, the reverse is the case. Smallholder farmers are traumatised and government policies have failed to cater to their needs.

The above is partly resposble for the escallation of food scacity, rise in food prices and hunger. Farmers in their desperation to find answers to their predicament, and not being aware of the dangers, resort to "solutions" that are inimical to the health of agriculture and future generations! Examples of such actions are:

1. allowing foreign agribusiness corporations to take hold of huge chunk of community land to produce goods for export
and agrofuels;

2. being deceived and confused by some unpatriotic scientists into cultivating crops that are inimical to healthy living, and are capable of polluting the native biodiversity like for ever, i.e. GMO seeds;

3. planting maize, cassava and jatropha to feed cars instead of planting to feed people. The result of which will create food scarcity and hunger/starvation;

4. allowing political parties with the endorsement of the dominant class to desuide and dictate actions that would prevent the people from making committed alliances with the ideals that only conscious struggle could bring into fruition.

You raised a number of areas that could be looked at for solutions. And Seinde in making the issues at stake clearer also touched on many areas.

To my mind, more problems are in the offing for us if smallholder farmers and their allies fail to be on top of their predicament and face the issues at stake squarely. This exactly, is what our organisation, USMEFAN, in collaboration with concerned peoples and other organisations are committed to. Working relentlessly to improve the plight of the impoverished, bearing the following in mind, that:

- farming as a profession must go through a transformation process. Not the kind of transformation being preached by the devotees of Green Revolution at the moment, that would only benefit large scale farmers and agribusiness at the expense of of smallholder farmers, who form 75% of our food providers in the country;

- there is the need to build a new layer of leadership both from among the young and the older practitioners that are committed to the health of farming as a vocation, urgently;

- farmers must break through the culture of silence and apathy which sometimes prevents them from asking for their rights;

- farmers should be aware and appreciate the need for a strong and effective coalition, where they can acquire some capabilities, through which they can wage their own struggles for entitlements/ rights, etc; and be able to understand the consequencies of their actions;

There are a lot more strategic actions that farmers and their allies must embark upon. 'There is no easy walk to freedom'. It is when the government becomes aware of the strength and determination of smallholder farmers that it would "bend" to satisfy themas well as show signs of recognition. It would be naive to think that the government is not aware of the plight of the smallholder farmers even now. Government simply finds it more convenient to turn deaf ears.

Farmers of today must let the government know, without mincing words, where their shoes pinch if they are not to be castigated by succeeding generations --- we have examples of this else where in the world!

Thank you for this opportunity. Blessings.

Oladunni.

[OLUWASEYIFUNMI KOMOLAFE ARIGBEDE]

Greetings Mama,
Thank you for your post, it is very well written and helps me to grasp a better understanding of what SmallHolder Farmers are experiencing in Africa right now.

-"farmers should be aware and appreciate the need for a strong and effective coalition, where they can acquire some capabilities, through which they can wage their own struggles for entitlements/ rights, etc; and be able to understand the consequencies of their actions"

This is the task I face here in the US where the very "Green Revolution" founders are based. There are many groups who know what is happening and are ready for an organized way to stop the Food future we are all facing.

Blessings and Love,
SeyiFunmi