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Agricultural challenges in Nigeria – Agriculture is the major livelihood of an average Nigerian. It contributes hugely to the Nigeria GDP. Agriculture is the cultivation of lands, rearing of animals, it involves fishing, pastoral farming , horticulture etc. All these and more are been practice in both substantial and commercial ways. Agricultural challenges cannot be ruled out from any area in agriculture, as each sector faces a peculiar problem. These challenges affects produce.
Therefore, there is need to talk about the different sectors in Agriculture been practiced in Nigeria and how to solve the agricultural challenges in Nigeria
Areas of Agriculture
We just want to give insight into various branches of Agriculture. We have more than we listed below;
1. Farming: It is the cultivation of lands involves growing of crops. Some Crops are grown for their fruits, tubers, stems and even their leaves, as the case maybe with vegetable. Crops are grown for food and their economic values.
2. Pastoral Agriculture: This involves rearing of animals, moving them from one place to the other, protecting them from danger and providing foods for them. Animals are rear for food, serving as meat , as beast of burden, as pets ,as well as security.
3. Fish farming has come to stay, apart from the natural water like ocean,lakes, where fish lives, these days people build ponds and fill them with fingerlings. Fish are rear for food and serves as means of generating income.
4. Horticulture is the cultivation of flowers. Flowers are use for beautification of our environment.
For young farmers in a developing country like Nigeria, some of the agricultural challenges they faces include:
Agricultural challenges in Nigeria
1.Finance
Major problem with farmers is how to access finance to boast their production. Some of the problems they faces here include, lack of collaterals to provide before the can access loans. Some of them may not have enough property to pledge as collateral while accessing these loans.
Also, high interest rate attached to loans . At this, young farmers may end up using the little profit the made to off set the loan and it’s huge interest.
2. Good Road Network
Most farmers in rural areas finds it difficult accessing their farms. This is due to bad road network and this is worst during the farming seasons,as raining season affects bad roads. Farming becomes difficult, conveying farm produce is almost impossible.
3. Insecurity
In a region that is facing security challenges, like Nigeria, access to farm becomes difficult. Over the years, insecurity has become one of the major challenges our farmers has been facing. A good number of them slaughtered while farming, pastoral farmers are not left behind.
Goods are been destroyed, crops sometimes are set ablaze, animals roasted. This has affected Agriculture in recent time.
4.Oil Spillage
For fish farmers, one of their major challenges is oil spill, as this affects the lives of aquatic animals negatively. Oil spill results from pipeline vandalism, bush burning at times pipes that have worn out.
5. Economic Policies
Inflation affects Agriculture, examples are,high cost of Agricultural equipment, fertilizer and cost of transportation
6. There is need for mechanization
Farmers who decides to venture into large scale farming, should be provided with farming tools and machines at subsidized rates. As this will help in boasting the production.
So basically, lack of modernized system of agriculture should be discouraged.
7. Deforestation.
Deforestation affects agriculture negatively. Certain specie of trees are lost through this act. Wild animals are exposed to dangers.
8.Bush burning
Some animals are going into extinction because of this act. Bush burning does no good to animals .
Also micro organisms at not spared .
Bush burning makes soil to loose it’s nutrients thereby rendering it useless for farming.
Solution to Agricultural challenges in Nigeria
In other to ease these agricultural challenges,
1. Easy access to loans
Government needs to provide easy access to loans and grants, ensure the safety of farmers and farm produce.
2. Public sensitization
Government agencies such as NOSDRA should enlighten the masses against pipeline vandalism.
3. Promotion of mechanized farming
Also government should make policies that will favor farmers . Encourage mechanization.
As a nation flowing with milk and honey, we look forward to feeding ourselves and having enough to export to other countries. These we can achieve by addressing and solving agricultural challenges in Nigeria.
See also Farm Mechanization