AS Nigerians groan under rising cost of food items, experts in the agriculture sector have proffered solutions to the problem ravaging a good number of citizens in the country.
In the past few months, the prices of food items have continued to skyrocket, a development which has made life unpalatable for the masses, particularly the poor. This has also prompted them to call on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the solution to the problem, a major stakeholder in the Nigerian agricultural value chain and chairman, Folhope Nigeria Limited, an agricultural firm with headquarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Chief Emmanuel Folorunsho Ogunnaike, posited that high cost of food as being witnessed presently in Nigeria is as a result of insecurity and cattle herders menace.
He noted that:”Insecurity and cattle herders menace is the root cause of food scarcity. Problems of food crises and shortages have just started unless cattle herders are forced to go into ranching and militants are sent packing.
“All farmers that are into back yard, small scale, medium scale, and large scale had farming had abandoned farming businesses due to threat of these people. If these two groups, namely: cattleherders and militants sheathe their swords, very quickly, the nation will have enough food to go round.”
Speaking on the price of eggs which has also gone up, Ogunnaike, who is also the Second Deputy President, Ibadan Chamber of Commerce, Indsutry Mines and Agriculture, said:”The cost of eggs has gone up, yet farmers are not making profits. The cost of poultry feed and other imputs has also gone up beyond imagination. With the current prices of feed and other imputs, the price of a tray of eggs should not go for less than N4500 per crate, that is farm gate price, if the poultry farmers are to breakeven.”
He, thefefore, posited that:”:Unless the government allows importation of maize , there would not be solutions. But the problem with importation is that there is no availability of forex and high rate exchange rate.”
Also proffering solutions to the high cost of foods, a professor of food technology at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Obafemi Awolowo University, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Subuola Fasoyiro, said the cost of food produce have been increasing on monthly basis without any stability in prices.
She further stated that:”About six years ago, a bag of rice at N7, 500 currently sells at N77,000 today with a congo at about N2,400 to N2,500 which is not affordable to the masses. The same thing with rice, yam and even the common garri, that used to be regarded as poor man’s food currently sells at N1000 to N1,100 per congo.
“Though food palliatives are good and opening up of the food reserves. They are temporary measures. We must be thinking about sustainable solutions. The government needs to see to ways of: Reducing the cost of fuel, which directly affects food transportation cost and finally the cost of these food items. It is important to set the refineries in the country to work effectively and efficiently to meet the population demand for fuel.
“High exchange rate of the Naira to other foreign currencies especially the pounds and dollars need to be addressed. This could be achieved through reducing food importation. We need to concentrate more on our local production of food in the agriculture sector. However, this need to be boosted through mechanisation of the agricultural process for increased outputs.
“Lastly, Issue of insecurity on the farms also need to be addressed. For instance, the current issue of attack in Jos have affected many farm families which have led to escalating food prices. Guarding farm areas with policemen or local security will help curb such issues.”
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