Dry season farming: Stakeholders speak on deepening food insecurity
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Most small-scale farmers in Nigeria rely on rainfed cultivation and do not have access to adequate water sources to engage in large-scale dry season production, leading to local shortages of important crops and high market prices in the dry season due to the lack of technique to cultivate them when the weather condition becomes harsh.
The unpredictability of rainfall patterns and amount in northern Nigeria implies the need for farmers to engage in dry-season farming to boost their incomes.
With the growing population of the country and the realisation that importation of any major food item will continually drain the country’s external reserves, export its jobs to countries where those food items are produced and the need to be food-secure, President Muhammadu Buhari established a National Food Security Council to address challenges in the country’s food and agriculture sectors.
Dry season farming: Stakeholders speak on deepening food insecurity
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By Ajayi Wuyiwa
Nigeria is Africaâs largest country with the fastest growing population. Consequently, the nationâs food needs continue to rise. However, the increase in food production has not kept pace with population growth. This scenario is mirrored in the rising food imports and declining levels of national food self-sufficiency.
Clearly, one of the main factors undermining agricultural output is the general sub-optimal yield per hectare due to low fertilizer application among other factors. For decades, this has been the bane of the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
Curiously, the role of fertilizers in crop yields and agricultural productivity are usually underestimated by many. That’s why mineral fertilizers are used to supplement the soil’s nutrient stocks with minerals that can be quickly absorbed and used by crops.
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