Food Crisis, Inflation Forcing People Back To Unsafe Farms In Nigeria’s Borno State

Goni Ari, 45, sits under the shade of a large neem tree on a worn mat, deftly stitching a nearly completed cap. The vibrant blue, green, and red patterns of the cap contrast with his faded blue Chelsea jersey and black jeans. He answers my questions as he sews, occasionally glancing at the nearby water pump. The rhythmic clanking of the pump mingles with the laughter of girls taking turns to fetch water.

Ari, a father of two, returned to Bama — a popular town in central Borno state, North East Nigeria — in 2019, a year after it was resettled. He was fortunate to get land near the town, which he farmed for four years. However, the landowner returned this year and took the property without notice, leaving him without a farm. His own land is too dangerous to access. Now, he only sews caps, hardly earning a living.

He barely earns 30,000 naira ($18), Nigeria’s former minimum wage, after selling a cap that takes him a month to make. He wishes to return to farming, a life he knows and loves.

“The country is hard. Even those who are doing well are returning to their farms. Many people like me can’t farm this year,” he told HumAngle.

Like Ari, several other farmers can’t get to their farms due to the presence of Boko Haram terrorists in the bush. Farmers in the region risk many things, including their lives, to continue to work, with some performing unusual tasks for Boko Haram terrorists to remain safe.

Northeast Nigeria battles a dual challenge of conflict and food insecurity. Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has displaced millions of people and disrupted the economy in the Lake Chad region. According to the World Food Programme, 4.4 million people are food insecure in northeastern Nigeria. The organisation adds that “three million of them are in Borno state, the epicentre of [the] insurgency.”

Agriculture has long been the backbone of Nigeria’s economy. Studies show that over 70 per cent of the country’s households are involved in agricultural practice. However, the ongoing conflict in the North East has severely impacted productivity and food supply, causing severe food insecurity.

Despite the risks, farmers like Mohammad Kalli are returning to their fields. 

In 2022, Kalli and two other friends ventured into farming, cultivating several hectares of land. They anticipated a bountiful harvest of 100 bags of beans. However, as the harvest season approached, a new wave of terror swept through their area. Boko Haram terrorists began kidnapping farmers, instilling fear in the hearts of those who dared to work their land. Kalli and his friends decided to lay low for two weeks, praying the danger would subside. When they finally returned to their farm, their hopes were shattered. They discovered their fields had been raided. Boko Haram had harvested their crops, and the remnants were burned. The sight of their ruined farm was devastating. The three friends swore never to farm again.

But this year, driven by desperation, they reconsidered. Food prices had soared to unimaginable heights. “A bag of beans that sold for ₦60,000 is now ₦240,000,” Kalli explained. “We just have to risk it all and return to the farm… At least one will get something to eat.” 

The decision was not easy. As they scouted their fields, tension hung in the air. Would they face the same fate again? Surprisingly, they found their neighbours had also returned to the farm this season.

To combat food insecurity, the Nigerian government has partnered with various non-governmental organisations, implementing key initiatives such as providing seeds, farming tools, and enhanced security measures. The Borno State government also offers subsidised tractors, requiring farmers to cover only the fuel costs.

The Victim Support Fund (VSF) launched a three-year intervention (2023-2025) in Gamboru Ngala and Gwoza Local Government Areas, supporting 3,000 farmers in dry season farming. Additionally, the state government plans to resettle 50,000 farmers back to their ancestral homes in Mafa LGA to revitalise agricultural activities in the area.

However, in 2023, the Nigerian president announced the withdrawal of fuel subsidies, which caused food prices to skyrocket in a few days and led to hardship. In the same year, Nigeria recorded one of the highest inflation rates in the world, at around 25 per cent, making the situation brutal. It has since gotten much worse. The World Food Programme warned that 26.5 million nationwide would face acute hunger in the June-August 2024 lean season, a sharp increase from the 18.6 million food-insecure people at the end of 2023.

In the North East, internally displaced persons (IDPs) have faced increased hardship as food support from NGOs dwindles due to the decline in global humanitarian aid.

Though a large portion of Borno’s farmlands is not safe, especially those in remote areas, many farmers are undeterred. 

“I will go to the bush to farm. If Boko Haram does not kill me, hunger will kill me,” said Lawan Bor, an internally displaced person living at the Government Science Senior Secondary School IDP camp, which hosts over 105,000 people. Lawan Bor was displaced from Kajeri, a village in Bama. Some IDPs at the camp told HumAngle they are ready to risk farming their land, even if it involves running errands for Boko Haram, such as purchasing food items and drugs.