Agriculture
A food security expert, AfricanFarmer Mogaji, has described climate change as a greater threat to Nigeria’s long-term food security than insecurity, warning that its effects are already impacting farming activities across the country.
Mogaji said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
He acknowledged that insecurity remained a challenge to agricultural development, particularly through the fear it created among farmers and investors.
According to him, isolated security incidents are often amplified, discouraging investment and participation in agricultural projects, even in relatively safe locations.
“Insecurity is playing a role by creating fear. The fear that insecurity spreads in the hearts of people, investors and farmers is a big issue.
“Anything that brings insecurity is amplified. Sometimes, one incident in a location is enough to make people avoid an entire state or project,” he said.
Mogaji urged the government to promote positive narratives and opportunities within the agricultural sector to help restore investor confidence.
He, however, maintained that climate change posed a more serious and widespread threat to food production.
“Farmers will farm irrespective of insecurity. They may reduce their farm size or move to safer locations, but they will farm.
“Climate change is real, and unfortunately, it is not yet a national discourse in Nigeria,” he said.
The expert said changing weather patterns, declining rainfall and rising temperatures were already affecting crop productivity.
He noted that the duration and intensity of rainfall had reduced significantly in recent years, altering traditional farming conditions and impacting crop performance.
According to him, prolonged dry spells, shrinking water sources and increasing temperatures are contributing to lower agricultural yields.
“We are having less rainfall and more prolonged droughts. We are also experiencing intense heat, which causes flower abortion in crops.
“Every flower is expected to produce fruit, but excess heat causes flowers to drop prematurely, reducing harvests,” he said.
Mogaji added that climate change was increasing production costs for farmers who depended on irrigation.
He expressed concern over what he described as inadequate investment in the development of climate-resilient crop varieties capable of adapting to changing weather conditions.
The expert also identified infrastructure deficits as a major constraint to agricultural growth, while noting that fiscal limitations could affect the government’s capacity to address the challenge.
He advocated greater private-sector participation through concession arrangements and incentives to accelerate infrastructure development.
“Government can encourage more private-sector investment through concessions and incentives that will help address infrastructure gaps more effectively,” he said.
Mogaji expressed optimism about ongoing reforms by the Federal Government, saying they could strengthen investor confidence and support long-term growth in the agricultural sector.
“Tough decisions help investors trust an administration. I am optimistic that if the government continues on this path, Nigerians will eventually enjoy the dividends of democracy through improved agricultural productivity and food security,” he said.
(NAN)
W.U
June 16, 2026
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