Persistent drought and famine threat as rain resumes after thirty days

After thirty (30) days of drought in most states of Nigeria, we got relieved as the rains resumed, and this became the talk of society, but most especially the farmers, who either had their crops fall victim to the drought or waited for the rains to resume. I remember a staff member of the Ministry of Agriculture here in my state who vehemently told me that we should be expecting heavy rains. I was worried because the soybeans I planted were at risk of being deflowered if the heavy rains came upon them.

The drought, however, took us all by surprise, and since July 19, 2024, when the heavy rain fell last, not until August 20 did we have another rainfall. This was a similar scenario in most parts of Nigeria, and many farmers cried and lamented while a few fetched water in buckets and containers to the farm. The question was, for how long would a micro-small-medium-scale farmer enjoy the little drops from the buckets of water?

I would not be in the best position to say what could have caused the drought, but one thing I am certain of is the climatic factors. There has been massive urbanization with poor regulations for burning of diesel, fuel, or fossils. Every city prides itself on urbanization, forgetting to practice reforestation after deforestation. Thus, in addition to the toxic gases emitted into the atmosphere, the ozone layer remains under threat from man-made factors.

Yet again, after the rains resumed, many farmers rushed to cultivate and plant their seedlings, the majority I have heard being beans. I equally have colleagues who have gone ahead to commence planting. I have equally been pessimistic with the turn of events, and except for the cassava, which is fairly drought-resistant, I have not had a convincing assurance of the returns of the rains. The forecast from the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMet) equally forecasted heavy downpours for the next few months, which may extend to November. This naturally would be relieving, but here we are, three light rain drops within two weeks of the resumption of rainfall.

Unless there is an alternate water body to feed the crops on the farm, such as practiced in irrigation farming, continuing till November with this infrequent or absent rainfall would spell nothing other than famine with an equivalent hike in the available food prices, which has been traumatically on the rise since the year began.

Quite a hard nut to crack, but this is the reality. Three light rain drops within two weeks of resuming rainfall after a month’s drought? Maybe if the two weeks had experienced heavy downpours, maybe I could be convinced that the rains had resumed and may extend till November, as speculated. But for now, I have had to temporize on continuing any crop at all as the soil is mostly dried from lack of adequate rainfall.

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