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By Dauda Reng Pam
The consequences of insurgency in the Northeast may have accounted for the several calls and pleas from all sections of the society by individuals and organizations alike,just as others have suggested for dialogue and reconciliation between the insurgents and government through the non kinetic approach to the war as part of the post insurgency rebuilding and peace making processes.
Dauda Reng Pam,in an overview, attempts to highlight how the continuous voluntary surrendering of Boko Haram terrorists have impacted on agricultural activities in the Northeast and Borno state in particular.
Available investigation in the military corridor indicated that over 50,000 repentant terrorists the Nigerian military reports indicated that over 50,000 have so far voluntarily surrendered and laid down their arms to security agents,which hitherto had fundamentally devastated socio-economic activities via increase in crime and destruction of lives and property.
Top on the list of human rights abuses included murder, abduction, sexual violence, forced labor, conscription of children, looting and burning of public buildings, schools, personal property, farmlands,as well as forceful acquisition of villages and agricultural produce.
Borno state prides itself in agriculture being the main stay of its occupation as a large majority of the citizens are engaged in this all important sector of the economy being the main source of rural employment,food sufficiency and export earning prior to the discovery of oil.
In a telephone conversation with the Chairmam, Zabarmari Rice Sellers Association, Alh. Hassan Mohammed, explained that,”Now we don’t have fear any longer about Boko Haram insurgents. We do meet with each other in the bush today unlike in the past without any fear of attack. They no longer kill or attack us. We do our farm businesses and leave for house peacefully unlike in the past.
“The Boko Haram insurgents who surrendered gave us more strength and power to go to farms even in far distances unlike in the past where we can not go farm beyond 1 kilometer. Now, we can go as far as 10-20 kilometers or more to cultivate our farmlands, harvest our farms and transport our produces peacefully,” Hassan said.
Alh. Hassan said there was sustained emphasis on agricultural activities such that Borno is a major producer of dry season farming products like rice, pepper, tomatoes, onions, wheat, guinea corn, millet, water melon and other vegetables. In addition to these crops, Borno produces enough food such as potatoes, cassava, maize, millet, sorghum and soya beans so that there is practically no need for food importation. Hitherto, agriculture accounted for over 60% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)according to BOSADP statistics in 2018.
He however appealed to the state government to assist and support their members/farmers, especially, those that have willingly accepted to return to their ancestral homes to live a normal life with their major occupation as framing, while calling on the Government to provide them with farming implements, fertilizer, seedlings and seeds as well as water pumps and their kits for the dry season farming as well as irrigation farming .
According to him, the level of food produced this year has multiplied and the availability of food produce in the market unlike in the last two years when nobody could dare make any attempt to access farmlands far away from his or her resettlement area.
He also claimed that the Zabarmari Rice locally produced is one of the best and better in taste and quality than the foreign ones. He noted that rice buyers and sellers prepare to patronize the local rice than the rice from India and Thailand.
Hassan said with the Government support and empowerment on rice and wheat production, a bumper harvest should be expected next year as all the support and facilities provided would be channeled towards agricultural activities of the state.
It could be recalled that In the ’70s, ’80s , and ’90s, Borno was known to be a major agricultural producer in Nigeria as well provided 18% of the world demand of cocoa in the 1960s, that figure has drastically reduced to 8%. In the same vein,the country was once known as producer of about 65% of tomatoes in West Africa, but today, has become the leading importer of tomato paste.
On his part, the Special Adviser to BORNO state Governor on Agriculture, Hon. Ali Audu Damasak, said,”Boko Haram activities resulted in the poor performance of the agricultural sector of the state, thereby truncating farming activities with killings, burning and displacement of people in rural areas and their property “.
He said,”The attacks were responsible for low economic expectation capable of frustrating socio-economic development of people living in remote and rural areas, most especially in the northern Borno as they engaged more in agriculture than any other trade in order to sustain themselves, and trade within their capacity or capabilities for profit making “.
“However, the on-going Boko Haram insurgency has affected the rural agricultural economy in the northern, part of Borno. The impact of voluntary surrendering of Boko Haram Fighters on agricultural sector of Borno and its environs is enormous with lots of benefits as most farmers especially in the northern part of the state have gained a lot from the state government by way of support and assistance including water pumps, fertilizer, seedlings, seeds and cash among others.”
“A lot of farmlands were cultivated and youths engaged as labourers while large or expanded farmlands were allocated to the rural farmers as no more terrorists attacks. Even a few Boko Haram Fighters are in the bush, they no longer attack the farmers and interfere into the farming activities of the villagers.
“We have been to many communities and provided them with farming implements and facilities including farmlands, fertilizer,seedlings, seeds, water pumps machines, pesticides and even transport facilities. Although agriculture is not limited to crop production alone.,” Audu said.
According to the Special Adviser, the Northern Borno also involves in animal husbandry and fishery which they engaged in business even before the colonial era. The manifestation of Boko Haram recently has been a great threat to the Borno business environment as farming and other business activities are being harmed.
“While Nomadic cattle rearers , who have been taking their cattle out for grazing have abandoned their business, as the environment is no longer safe for them. Same thing goes with the fishermen. The lives of those that are still involved in the businesses are also at stake, because attacks from Boko Haram can occur at any moment in any place.
According to him, some of the crops being produced in Mobbar, Kukawa, Magumeri, Gubio, Baga, Monguno, Nganzai and Guzamala areas are also perishable and need to be consumed on time.
Consequently, the security challenges in the past one to two years had also led to poor cultivation, of farmlands, harvest of farm produces, transportation, of farm produces, high transport cost, displacement of people ,properties and high risk to lives from periodic attacks.
The Special Adviser added that Niger , Chad and Cameroon republics sharing borders with Nigeria in the North East part are also affected. Traders from this country can no longer come to Maiduguri (Borno) to buy or sell.
“The borders were closed some time ago and occupied by Boko Haram Fighters, restricting movements, , importation or exportation from the countries which affected their economy. The Niger Republic economy is also affected, as it shares border with Nigeria and both countries benefits from each other socio economically and politically”.
Meanwhile, The Operations Officer of the Lake Chad Basin Fishery Association, Alh. Labo Dahiru on behalf of the National Chairman, Alhaji Garba Gamadi told our correspondent in Maiduguri that the voluntary surrendering of the Boko Haram Fighters at the Lake Chad Basin has tremendously resulted in increasing number of fishermen who have returned to fishery business and commended the state government as well as the security agencies for their role and support.
He further called in the state government and other organizations to support them with fishing inputs and kits among others too boost their business, while expressing gratitude to the state Governor for the recent financial assistance to members of the Fishers association.
