The Senate on Tuesday called for urgent government intervention to cushion Nigerian farmers from the sharp drop in prices of agricultural produce, warning that the situation, if left unchecked, could threaten millions of livelihoods and worsen the country’s fragile food security.
The call followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), which highlighted the growing imbalance between falling farm-gate prices and the persistently high cost of agricultural inputs.
In its resolutions, the Senate commended the Federal Government for bringing down the cost of foodstuffs across the country by granting waivers and special permissions for large-scale importation of food products, noting that the policy had brought relief to many Nigerians amid the cost-of-living crisis.
However, lawmakers observed that the same policy had created unintended consequences for local farmers.
“The lowering of the cost of food products has brought succour to Nigerians but has at the same time created special problems for the Nigerian farmers.”
“While the prices of farm produce have been going down, those of the farm inputs, especially fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides, have remained extremely high, placing enormous pressure on farmers’ earnings and sustainability,” Goje stated.
According to him, the situation “gravely threatens the livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers who constitute the backbone of Nigeria’s food production system and depend almost entirely on farming, as their primary and sole source of income.”
Seconding the motion, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North) emphasised the need for policies that balance food affordability for consumers with sustainable incomes for farmers, stressing that high input costs must be urgently addressed to boost production.
Senator Dandutse Mohammed (Katsina South) described the motion as timely, noting that over 60 per cent of Nigerians depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
He lamented that fertiliser prices had reportedly risen above ₦60,000 per bag, while produce prices continued to fall, warning that unchecked food importation and lack of subsidies were devastating local farmers and contributing to insecurity.
Senator Steve Karimi (Kogi West) raised concerns over insecurity in farming communities, describing it as a major threat to food security, while Senator Idiat Adebule (Lagos West) questioned the role of state governments in complementing federal agricultural initiatives.
In his contribution, Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) acknowledged that temporary border relaxation during periods of scarcity might be necessary, but insisted that farmers must be supported with affordable inputs and stable commodity pricing to sustain production.
“Nigeria’s growing dependence on imported food commodities will weaken national food sovereignty, undermine domestic value chain, distort local markets as well as discourage the development of agro-processing industries, thereby exposing the national economy to global price volatility and foreign exchange pressures,” the Senate noted.
The senators added that “effective coordination between MDAs, state governments, commodity boards, agricultural cooperatives and other relevant stakeholders, is critical to ensuring fair pricing, robust storage facilities, efficient transportation system and improved market linkages.”
Consequently, the Senate urged the Federal Government to design and implement a comprehensive Special Emergency Intervention Package for farmers affected by the current collapse in agricultural produce prices to cushion their losses and ensure household stability.
It also called on the government to establish a “Benchmark Minimum Price Framework for major agricultural commodities and implement a Guaranteed Off-take Programme, whereby government purchases produce directly from farmers at the benchmark price to stabilise the market.”
The Senate further resolved to urge the Federal Government to introduce broad-based agricultural input subsidies, particularly for fertilisers, and other farm inputs, and to prioritise investment in “strategic agricultural infrastructure, including storage facilities, rural roads, processing centres, and irrigation systems to reduce post-harvest losses and boost the profitability of farmers.”
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