Farming in the desert

Not many Nigerian farmers are on twitter, but those who have started networking to get up-to date information on climate change adaptation, are turning in bigger harvests. Unfortunately, despite the fact that 60% of the population are into farming,the majority of Nigerian peasant farmers do not have adequate knowledge. Only 5% have access to improved seeds. But the farmers from Owelli court community of Enugu state have been working with the NGO Tubali on networking and their state government has made information available to them Watch Video

Governments at local and state level need to map agricultural potentials of their areas and offer farmers advice based on research from national and international agencies. Irrigation powered by renewable energy can reduce unemployment, hunger and poverty in the most remote areas. Capital budgets at state level should be spent on irrigation systems based on renewable energies. Desertification can be contained with Re-Greening techniques. Government, farming and civil society representatives should visit Niger to learn from their experience of re-greening even barren land.

Nigeria’s 160 million people are projected to increase to 255 million by the year 2030. With desertification in the north, erosion and sea level rise along the Atlantic coast and more floods, will Nigeria be able to feed itself? With almost half of the country’s arable land not cultivated, there is a real possibility to increase food production. But how should Nigeria’s future agriculture look like? Green Deal Nigeria author Prof Chinedum Nwajiuba argues that sustainable agriculture is possible if small farmers are not left behind.