The Nigerian Senate has raised serious concern over the widening gap between the falling prices of agricultural produce and the persistently high cost of farm inputs, warning that the situation poses a grave threat to the livelihood of millions of farmers and the country’s food security.
This follows a motion sponsored by Distinguished Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), which highlighted the growing hardship faced by farmers despite recent reductions in food prices across the country.
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The motion, which was seconded by Senator Aliyu M. Wamako (Sokoto), drew serious deliberations among the Senators, with majority of them throwing their support to it.
The lawmakers commended the Federal Government for its intervention in easing food inflation through import waivers and special permits that allowed large-scale importation of food commodities. While the policy has brought relief to consumers, the Senate noted that it has also created unintended consequences for local farmers.
According to the motion, farm-gate prices of major agricultural produce have continued to decline sharply, even as the cost of essential farm inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and improved seeds remains extremely high. This imbalance, the Senate observed, has squeezed farmers’ margins and left many unable to recover their production costs.
The Senate further expressed deep concern over the rising incidence of post-harvest losses across farming communities, noting that poor pricing, inadequate storage facilities and weak market linkages have resulted in widespread spoilage, wastage and income erosion. These losses, lawmakers warned, have severe nutritional and economic implications, particularly for rural households that rely almost entirely on farming for survival.
Senators also cautioned that the persistent decline in produce prices could discourage farmers from investing in the next planting season, a development that could lead to reduced domestic food production, rural economic stagnation and a worsening national food security outlook.
In its deliberations, the Senate observed that Nigeria’s increasing dependence on imported food commodities threatens national food sovereignty, weakens domestic agricultural value chains and discourages the growth of agro-processing industries. The situation, it noted, also exposes the economy to global price volatility and mounting foreign exchange pressures.
To address the challenge, the Senate urged the Federal Government to urgently design and implement a Special Emergency Intervention Package for farmers affected by the current market collapse, aimed at cushioning losses and protecting rural livelihoods.
Lawmakers also called for the establishment of a Benchmark Minimum Price Framework for major agricultural commodities, alongside a Guaranteed Off-take Programme that would enable government agencies to purchase produce directly from farmers at guaranteed prices to stabilize the market.
In addition, the Senate advocated for expanded subsidies on agricultural inputs, particularly fertilizers and agrochemicals, to reduce production costs. It also emphasized the need for increased investment in critical agricultural infrastructure, including storage facilities, rural roads, processing centres and irrigation systems, to curb post-harvest losses and boost farmers’ profitability.
The Senate further urged the Federal Government to review existing import waiver and special import permit policies to ensure that Nigerian farm produce can compete fairly with imported food items, while safeguarding local production and strengthening domestic food systems.
According to lawmakers, effective coordination among relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, state governments, commodity boards and agricultural cooperatives will be critical to achieving fair pricing, efficient transportation, improved market access and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
