The harvest season, for many, conjures images of abundance, of filled barns and joyous celebrations. It should be a period of reward for a year of toil and dedication. However, for a growing number of Nigerian farmers, this season has become a period of paradox. They are harvesting their crops, but instead of profits, they are reaping a harvest of tears.
The stark reality is that a bag of potatoes, which sells for a paltry N12,000, is a chilling indicator of a broken system. In a country where the cost of living is soaring, this price point does not reflect the immense effort, resources, and risks undertaken by the farmer. It’s a price that makes a mockery of their labour and puts their very survival in jeopardy.
This is a crisis that hits close to home for every farmer. As one of our long-time farmer-suppliers, Mallam Audu, lamented in a recent interview with AyosifamHub, “We are forced to sell our produce at prices that do not even cover our living costs. The harvest should be a time of celebration, but for us, it is a time of incredible stress. How can I pay for my children’s school fees, my house rent, and take care of my family’s health when I am selling my hard work for next to nothing?”
He is not alone. Farmers across the country are selling below the cost of living simply to make ends meet. The money earned from a harvest, meant to be a source of security, is barely enough to cover the most basic expenses. This is not a sustainable way of life; it’s a path to deeper poverty. Most smallholder farmers trek long distances to their farms every day and, despite their vital contribution to the nation’s food security and economy, are forced to eat poor food themselves as a means of survival.
In fact, if you were to calculate the true costs for a farmer—daily expenses, transportation to the farm, daily feeding, and the high costs of farm inputs like fertilizers and herbicides—and then add a modest stipend of N70,000 as a salary to cover household expenses like clothes and electricity, the amount they earn from selling their produce would result in a net zero gain, or worse, a significant loss. The current price of N12,000 per bag of potatoes is not just a low profit margin; it’s a direct road to financial ruin.
This is not a temporary setback; it is a systemic failure. Economic indices consistently show that poverty levels are on the rise, particularly in rural areas where the majority of the population depends on agriculture. The agricultural sector, which is the bedrock of the nation’s food security, is under immense strain. Farmers are being made poorer with every harvest, creating a vicious cycle where a lack of capital for the next planting season leads to even lower yields and more financial distress.
The government must step in with a strategic and comprehensive plan to stabilize the agricultural sector. A crucial aspect of this plan must be direct intervention in the market. By establishing a system where the government buys and stores produce from farmers at a guaranteed fair price, several critical issues can be addressed at once:
Ensuring a Better Income for Farmers: By purchasing at a price that covers the cost of production and provides a reasonable profit, the government can immediately improve the farmers’ living standards. This will allow them to meet their financial obligations for school fees, healthcare, and other essential needs.
Reducing Post-Harvest Losses: A government-run reserve system, complete with modern storage facilities, will significantly reduce the massive waste that currently plagues the sector. This not only increases the farmers’ effective income but also contributes to national food security by ensuring more food reaches the market.
Stabilizing Market Prices: A government-run reserve will prevent the glut of produce during the harvest season from crashing market prices. The stored produce can be released gradually throughout the year to ensure a stable supply and prevent exorbitant price hikes during off-seasons, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
Encouraging Youth Participation: The current struggles of farmers are a major deterrent for young Nigerians who might otherwise consider agriculture. A stable and profitable farming environment, guaranteed by government support, would make agriculture a viable and attractive career path, securing the future of the nation’s food production.
Beyond government intervention, smallholder farmers must also empower themselves by thinking about how to increase the shelf life of their produce before they even plant. This forward-thinking approach, which includes selecting varieties with longer storage potential and learning basic preservation techniques, can significantly increase their profits. It’s a proactive step that will give them greater control over when and where they sell their produce, helping them to avoid the desperate sales that are so common during the peak harvest season.
The current situation is not just a concern for farmers; it is a national crisis. When those who feed the nation cannot feed themselves, the entire food system is on the brink of collapse. The government, private sector, and civil society must come together to address this issue with the urgency it deserves. By implementing a robust system of government purchase and storage, we can transform the agricultural sector, support the backbone of our economy, and ensure that the harvest season is once again a time of prosperity for our farmers, not a period of tears and despair.
The time to cultivate a more prosperous and food-secure future is now.
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