There have been chilly predictions of an impending food crisis in Nigeria in recent years. These warnings by local and international observers are perhaps needless for anyone keen enough to discern the trends in food availability in the country. Unfortunately, those who should know better, government officials for whom the warnings are originally intended, have failed to respond in a manner that shows they understand the import of the issue at all.

Nigeria’s food security has been under threat for many years, but things have gotten worse in the last decade. The main strategy of the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari administration was to restrict the importation of food products. The simplistic idea was that such an adventure would force the people to go back to the farm, thereby increasing food production and at the same time easing the country’s needless foreign exchange burden. The notion that the food crisis was simply a consequence of low human inputs into agriculture is a long-standing ideology –though lacking in concrete thinking- touted by many.

On different occasions, government officials have insinuated that Nigerians were lazy -using those exact words- because they were not farmers. If only they look down the window of their ivory castles and see the inhumane struggles of their compatriots. Nigerians are not lazy!

The notion that farming is a simpleton’s endeavour is an unfortunate misconception, it is anything but that. Farming of any kind is one of the most physically, emotionally and intellectually tasking professions known to mankind. Even when all a man is harmed with is a hoe and a cutlass, lacking a need for the pleasures and amenities of this modern world, the adventure in food production is not simple. He must devise means to harness the elements to his advantage. He must defend against the attacks of pests and pestilence. He must remain on his toes throughout the planting and harvest season. He must get his shit together in the face of any mishap and see the project through to the end of the year. Indeed, this kind of farming our leaders foresee even in its simplicity is daunting. Therefore, there is no shelter for their irresponsibility like has been demonstrated in light of the devastating operations of bandits, especially in North-West Nigeria.

The banditry menace was inherited by the Bola Tinubu administration and has protracted into a humanitarian and economic menace of high proportions. Criminal elements grab territories and unleash a reign of terror. Many farmers in Nigeria’s most productive farmlands have been killed and many more subjugated to unthinkable taxation by these predatory marauders and what’s more, senseless destruction of farm produce when they’re ripe for harvest. No agricultural system can withstand such attacks. Regrettably, the government has no grip on the situation. If they did, no reasonable official would hand out stems of cassava as empowerment schemes for an agricultural revolution like a legislator did some time ago. It is really bothersome that Africa’s largest democracy cannot effectively manage subsistence farming. For if it cannot handle hoes and cutlasses, how would it drive the agricultural revolution much needed for its ever-growing population?

Now, the Tinubu administration recently abolished taxation on food imports. This is following its allowance of food importation across land borders months ago. Hopefully, the government also realises that the necessity of this short-term intervention is evidence that our agricultural system needs complete overhauling. First, security issues must be tackled head-on. Bandits should not be difficult to completely crush by a country whose military once unleashed its covert and tactical might on civilians during the #EndSARS protests of 2020.

Industrialisation of our agricultural system is non-negotiable and this should be delivered by a comprehensive programme. People-friendly policies must be formulated on land reservation for agricultural practices as well as the promotion of farm cooperatives to consolidate all food production efforts in the country. Equipment and machinery should be made available with a long-term goal to improve capacity in their production by the growing automobile industry. Furthermore, research and innovation must be encouraged and heavily invested in. The government must take the initiative to make our agriculture a viable investment package for local and industrial investors. All of these require extensive planning, implementation and evaluation and are not in any way trivial work.

Therefore, the fancy cultivation of a garden by the first lady –which may be well-intended- is inconsequential in the matter at hand. Leaders in the government and other policymakers must therefore understand the seriousness of the impending food crisis and do what must be done.