CEM REPORT, AGROFOOD | For over a decade, banditry and armed attacks have plagued Nigeria’s northwest region, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Farmers, the backbone of the nation’s agricultural sector, are caught in the crossfire, facing extortion and violence that threaten their livelihoods and exacerbate food insecurity in the country.
A recent report by SBM Intelligence, titled “Levies or Lives – The Dilemma Of Farmers In Northern Nigeria,” sheds light on the dire situation. The report reveals that between 2020 and 2023, farmers were forced to pay ₦139.5 million ($322,000) to bandits as “levies” simply to access their farmlands. This figure represents only a portion of the total ₦224.9 million ($521,000) imposed by the bandits, with the remaining amount potentially going unreported.
“This is a double whammy for farmers,” says Kolapo Adebayo, an agricultural economist interviewed for the report. “They are not only facing the risk of violence and kidnapping but they are also being forced to pay exorbitant fees, which eats into their already meagre profits.”
“Levies or Lives” paints a grim picture of the impact these levies have on both farmers and the wider economy. This extortion, coupled with the ongoing security crisis, has had a devastating impact on the region’s agricultural sector and contributed to a worsening food crisis.
“These levies make things incredibly difficult for farmers who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods,” the report states. “They not only face the risk of violence and abduction if they don’t pay but they are also burdened with hefty financial demands that eat into their already meager profits.”
The report highlights the impossible situation farmers find themselves in: “For farmers in these areas, working on their farms poses a dual risk: either they attempt to harvest their crops and hope to earn a living, or they pay hefty ransoms to save themselves from abductors.”
Bandits Threaten Food Security and Livelihoods
Nigeria’s decade-long security struggles have had a significant impact on the agricultural sector, a crucial contributor to the country’s GDP. The report emphasizes the dire consequences:
- Spiked food prices: The report links the bandit activity to a “panic surge” in food prices in the North-West, highlighting the strain on food affordability in the region.
- Abandoned farmland: Farmers report abandoning parts of their land due to fear of bandit attacks, further impacting food production.
- Shrinking GDP: The agricultural sector’s growth slowed to 1.88% in 2023, contributing to the overall sluggish economic growth of 2.74%.
- Rising poverty: The World Bank estimates that the number of people living in poverty in Nigeria will rise to 104 million in 2023, partly due to the combined effects of inflation, slow economic growth, and the disruption of agricultural activities.
Read Also: January 2024 Food Prices Watch Reveals Alarming Trends
Urgent Action Needed to Address the Crisis
The SBM report concludes with a call to action for the Nigerian government: “Nigeria is at a critical point where urgent action is required to address the root causes of instability and prevent a worsening food crisis.”
The report emphasizes the need for a multi-pronged approach that tackles the security challenges, supports affected communities and prioritizes measures to prevent a full-blown food crisis.
This situation in Nigeria’s North-West highlights the complex interplay between security, food security, and economic development. As the nation grapples with these challenges, addressing the root causes of banditry and prioritizing the protection of vulnerable communities, particularly farmers, will be crucial to ensuring food security and building a more sustainable future.
