On the heels of the massacre of farmers in Zabarmari, the exact number killed is still conjectural because the Nigerian Army puts the figure at 43, insurgents say it is 78, while 110 is it according to some news agencies beyond the shores of Nigeria. See the following relevant links The Zabarmari massacre of farmers: Should more citizens die in these senseless killings? nextierspd.com/the-massacre-of-zabarmari-farmers.../ Military debunks claim about killing of 78 farmers in Borno youtube.com/watch?v=pmbsHE.../ At least 110 farmers dead in Zambarmari, Nigeria, after suspected BH attack theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/nigeria-attack-boko-haram-farm-workers-killed? Nigeria is the 3rd most terrorised country in he world - Report allafrica.com/view/group/mai...
In the light of the above, NextierSPD (Security, Peace & Development) & the Yar'Adua Foundation convened a team of experts and stakeholders to review the impending food insecurity in Nigeria. It was an 'invitation only' discourse.
Some of the participants are:
*Dr. Nduuisi Nwokolo - Partner & CEO NextierSPD
*Dr. Uche Igwe - Visiting Fellow, Firoz Laiji Centre for Africa, London School of Economics (LSE), UK
*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert, Abuja
*Amara Nwakpa - Director, Public Policy Initiative, Yar'Adua Foundation
*Ms. Bertha Ogbimi - CISLAC
*Ms. Ndidi Anyanwu - Senior Policy & Research Analyst, NextierSPD
The critical areas x-rayed at the meeting and the recommendations in brief were:
*Insecurity - There should be collaboration between the local Vigilante Groups, communities and the Military to provide security for farmers. The modalities for same should be worked out with each community. One size does not necessarily fit all.
*Climate Change - Trans-border water management that could prevent excessive flooding in Nigeria (on a yearly basis), which in turn negatively affects crop yield should be interrogated. There should be mechanisms put in place to prevent the Lagdo Dam from flooding Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Anambra states, etc. yearly. The drying of Lake Chad should be halted. In this regard, the effort of the Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum (LCBGF) should be taken cognisance of to prevent re-invention of the wheel. It is necessary to employ relevant technology, including the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) for improvement in the agricultural sector. The NLTP needs to be constantly revisited/revised to stem the tide of trust deficit bedeviling it.
*Policy Environment - Policy somersault is the bane of many otherwise successful initiatives/projects in the agricultural and related sectors. Garnering adequate and accurate data should be priority for successful planning. The language of CBN policies in the agricultural sector should be 'democratised', so that the regular small scale farmer at whom they are targeted understand the contents. There should be intensive advocacy in this regard.
*Inflation - Drivers of inflation should be continually deciphered/identified in all spheres. Some of the areas to look at are: the closure of borders, inadequate storage/preservation facilities/techniques for prolonging the life of perishable farm produce.
*Review of the Land Use Act of 1978 to accommodate contemporary concerns. The NLTP needs to be constantly interrogated to eliminate the trust deficit as regards its implementation...
The discourse continues...
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