The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) says farmers cannot produce or sell food at lower prices unless rising production costs and insecurity are urgently addressed.
AFAN President Kabir Ibrahim made the remarks Thursday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time. He warned that Nigeria’s fight against food insecurity cannot be won simply by improving road transport.
“Productivity is at its lowest now, more than any other time,” Ibrahim said. “We have insecurity, and inputs like fertilizers are unaffordable. No fertilizer sells for less than ₦50,000. Unless costs come down, farmers cannot produce and sell at lower prices.”
Ibrahim cautioned that many farmers, especially rice and maize producers, are increasingly reluctant to return to their fields due to insecurity and economic pressures.
He urged the government to take immediate steps to restore confidence among farmers, including providing security, subsidizing critical inputs, and creating innovative systems to improve food distribution. One proposal, he said, is to designate special vehicles for transporting food across the country.
“These rticulated vehicles, you mount sirens on them when they are carrying food. They give you free lanes. That’s what happens elsewhere,” Ibrahim explained.
AFAN’s warning comes amid persistent food inflation in Nigeria, driven by high input costs, poor planning, and insecurity across farming regions.
