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Senator Aleiro distributes tractors and farming implements to farmers in Kebbi State for free
By Raymond Gukas, Jos
As the rains set in for the year’s cropping season, there are strong indications that the farming communities in the entire northern part of Nigeria may abandoned fertile grounds because of growing insecurity.
Pointer to this was evident, when Apex News Exclusive toured some farming communities in a number of troubled villages and observed that the usual activities of clearing the lands for probable agricultural purposes are not being observed as in the past.
The youths who used to be the backbone of the farming percentage are either in the mining fields or have moved into the city centres with the intent of securing paid employment that don’t even exist, as it were.
It was gathered that the situation in some local government areas of Plateau State was very scary, as farmers have become frustrated due to the ongoing killings in recent times in Miango chiefdom of Bassa LG in the state.
Added to their frustration is the high cost of fertilizers, as one Mr. Akubaka Emmanuel puts it: “my fears are that after buying the costly commodity, how am I sure I will be alive to reap from my sweat?
For example, I bought fertilizers and at the end, I couldn’t even go to the farm because the fulanis are always on the prowl, it means the fertilizers would remain at home for the season and the aim is now defeated; or how do you see it?, he asked in an emotional laden tone.
Also, some youths in Jos South were spotted in a populated tin mining site and after admitting they ran away from their villages as a result of frequent attacks and killings, did not hide their feelings when they said without any qualms, that it was better to die mining than to be killed by people who don’t value lives.
According to Peter Dawam, there is danger in mining, among which is collapsing pillars while underneath. But it is rare that is why, one can risk it. But in the village, once you go to sleep, you are not sure of seeing the next day; or still, you survive the night but you dread venturing into the farming fields because you become a target of the murderous fulanis.
With this alarming situations, farming is now gaining ground in populated settlements instead of the farms and a little underdeveloped plot of lands have become the farms with competition to secure them temporary from owners who are not farmers is growing by the day.
This however, is at variance with what the authorities have said that no standing crops should be planted in neighbourhoods still because of insecurity, except crawling crops for better visibility.
Though the authorities have assured severally that measures are being intensified to ensure a safe farming season, this assurance has always left troubled villagers at the mercy of God.
