WEEK 2
Agricultural Science. S.S.S 1 First Term
TOPIC: 12 MAJOR PROBLEMS OF FOOD & AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA
Content
Nigeria is one of the most highly blessed nations in Africa. That she has not been able to solve, even her own problems of food and agriculture is a matter of very great concerns.
Anyhow, if you would like to be on the full know of the major problems of food production in Nigeria, and then you have come to the right source.
Nigeria’s major problems of food and agriculture
- Poverty
In today’s Nigeria, one of the major problems of food production is poverty. On the other hand, one of the simplest and a doubtless truth that you can easily know about Nigeria is the fact that over 75% of her rural dwellers are full-time farmers. Another doubtless truth that you can also discover there is that Nigeria’s present inability to, even solve her own problems of food and agriculture, is not as a result of her peoples’ laziness; or say a matter of the nation being naturally unblessed. Nigerian farmers and Nigerians in general are really hard-working and industrious. A very great variety of delicious species of organic foods, fruits, vegetables and cash-crops abound in the country. In fact, the nation is so highly blessed, and there are very large acres of fertile agricultural lands all around the country.
- Ignorance
Nigeria of today is a country where agriculture is still greatly and relatively undermined; and or even over-looked as a mere “back-yard business “. Some Nigerian youths even regard farming as:” an odd job that is meant only for the illiterate rural people “. In the eyes of some of Nigeria’s wealthy class, farming is, ignorantly underrated or abhorred as: “poor peoples’ job “. The very worst is that the governments in Nigeria are, pretentiously doing very little or nothing in terms of solving the nation’s food and agricultural problems.
- Illiteracy
The greatest number of dedicated full-time farmers in Nigeria can neither read nor write. The local farmers there are even as uninformed as they lack modern agricultural education. The climax of illiteracy there, is Nigeria’s total negligence and, or her non-usage of native languages in the nation’s pursuits for modern education. For in this modern world, people that still studies in foreign languages have not really started learning. And this level of illiteracy and unawareness do often constitute some serious set-backs, even in Nigeria’s food production efforts.
- Use of manual farm tools / methods
Do you know that the average Nigerian farmer is still making use of only the same out-dated manual farm tools – like cutlass and hoe – as their fore-fathers used since many centuries ago? Do you also know that instead of using some affordable modern agricultural techniques or simple machines; the farmers in that part of the
world have changelessly, adhered to various archaic agricultural methods and practices that were copied from their ancestors? In short, their use of these kinds of archaic and
out-dated tools and techniques constitutes a very great set-back in the country’s food and agricultural out-puts.
- Lack of road; water; & electricity
The rural farming communities in Nigeria have neither road nor water nor electricity. Some do not even have hospitals or schools around them. Can you then imagine the pains and the labors, and to what extents the farmers from such-like areas can contribute in food production?
- Lack of food storage or processing facilities
Many delicious and juicy fruits, vegetables, and cash-crops are largely produced from Nigeria’s local farming communities. But, do you know that a very great percentage of these delicious organic farm produce often get damaged and, or wasted before they reach their final consumers? In this kind of a situation, one of the major problems that are facing the helpless local farmers there is lack of adequate food storage or
processing facilities.
- Lack of modern farm machines /techniques
Another major problem of Nigeria’s food and agriculture is lack of modern farm machines or techniques. As I stated earlier, the farmers in Nigeria are still making use of ancient agricultural tools / techniques; whilst there are low-cost modern farm machines / techniques out there for use as better substitutes.
- Lack of scientific & technological know-how
In Nigeria, scientific and technological know-how is relatively very low. Many schools here in Nigeria do not even have science laboratories. Hence, a great majority of students there rather theorize sciences than practicalize them. In fact, this problem of Nigeria’s under-development in science and technology often leave the country to depend largely on importation. And this equally, is part of the major problems and challenges of the country’s food and agricultural developments.
- Disorganization & unaccountability
Organization and accountability is one of the basics of better and successful management. But, till this age of modernization and civilization, Nigeria is still
internally disorganized. She lacks, even a valid and a well-organized documentations of her citizens or properties or marriages or births or deaths. In the same vein, a majority of farms there in Nigeria lacks organization or records and accountability. Some farmers there are merely planting without any sort or kind of a farm records or organization; or measurements or, at least; an account for an easier identification of the possible
reasons behind their agricultural gains or losses.
- Lack of leadership & neo-colonialism
One of the most serious of all the major problems of food and agriculture in Nigeria is lack of leadership. Mismanagements; corruptions and embezzlements of public funds are very common within Nigeria’s government officials. And as you know, patriotism; trust, honesty; organization and careful management has often led the
success and prosperity of modern man.
- Industrialization & privatization
Modern conversions and privatizations of food and agriculture into a very big and expensive industry or conglomerate, is also of the major contributors to Nigeria’s food and agricultural set-backs. In one hand, the modern global waves of industrialization and privatization of food and agriculture really produces surplus food that is more than enough to feed, even the entire world population. On the other hand, food and agricultural industrialization and privatization, really added greatly to global hunger and poverty. The reasons are because agric industrialization and privatization:
– results in an uneven distribution of food.
– uses much of the produced food in feeding animals.
– is wasteful and destructive as it is only after quantity.
– favors the haves and disfavors the have-nots.
– adds hidden taxes to prices of food.
– is very expensive and uneconomical.
– And it results in total loss of rural jobs
- Global warming
Global warming is also part of the major problems of food and agriculture in Nigeria. Forest destructions and over-grazing of animals has really turned a lot of Nigeria’s farmlands into deserts. Like in other countries of the world, several lakes; rivers; streams and rain forests have actually disappeared.
Many Nigerian farming communities that only depend on rainfall are now faced with severe droughts, erosions, landslides; deforestations and an excessive massive loss of crops and animals. All these are some of the real impacts of global warming on Nigeria’s agriculture and food Production.
Exercise
- Give 2 problems of Agriculture in Nigeria
