Spike in cost of irrigation lands as farmers flock Taraba

In a significant shift within Nigeria’s agribusiness landscape, thousands of farmers are flocking to Taraba State for dry season rice production, drawn by vast, fertile lands and the promise of good yields. Recent reports from mainstream media, notably Weekend Trust, highlight that this year’s influx is the highest in recent years, with farmers arriving from northern states such as Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, as well as from the South-South, South-West, and South-East regions.

Farmers are converging on key irrigation sites across Lau, Karim Lamido, ArdoKola, Gassol, Donga, Wukari, and along the banks of the River Benue. While the potential for profit is evident—with many already planting rice—the rapid increase in demand has driven land rental costs up by nearly 300%. Added to this are escalating charges for labour and fuel, not to mention the absence of robust irrigation infrastructure. As farmers like Adamu Abubakar from Kebbi State and Yakubu Sani from Yobe State note, the need to self-fund water pumping solutions (using engines or solar-powered systems) and dig boreholes has further heightened production costs.

The situation is a double-edged sword: while the abundant, fertile lands offer a lucrative opportunity for dry season rice production, the lack of irrigation facilities and inadequate infrastructure (including access roads) threatens to erode profit margins. Local stakeholders, including the state chairman of the Rice Farmers Association, Tanko Bobbo Andami, underscore the necessity for both state and federal intervention to provide irrigation canals and water channels along River Benue, Taraba, and Donga. Such improvements would help reduce operating costs and support the burgeoning rice production sector.
Source: DailyTrust

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The current migration of farmers to Taraba State signals robust market confidence in Nigeria’s dry season rice production potential. However, the surge in land rental and production costs underlines a critical bottleneck—insufficient irrigation infrastructure. This scenario not only threatens the profitability of individual farming operations but also has broader implications for food security and the sustainability of agribusiness in the region.

Key Recommendations for Stakeholders

1. Infrastructure Investment through Government Action: Urgently invest in developing irrigation canals, water channels, and improved access roads. This would alleviate the financial burden on farmers who currently rely on costly self-managed water solutions.
2. Private Sector & Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage collaborations to fund and build necessary infrastructure, leveraging both public funds and private investments.
3. Mechanization and Technology Adoption: Promote the use of efficient water pumping technologies (such as solar-powered pumps) and mechanized farming equipment to reduce reliance on expensive labor and manual irrigation methods.
4. Farmers’ Cooperatives and Collective Bargaining: Support the formation of cooperatives that can negotiate better rental terms and bulk purchase inputs, thus mitigating individual costs.
5. Policy Advocacy: Engage with local and national policymakers to secure incentives and subsidies for dry season farmers, especially those who have faced losses during the wet season due to drought and lack of governmental support.
6. Research and Development: Invest in agronomic research to develop rice varieties that are more resilient to water stress and suited to the irrigation conditions in Taraba, further ensuring consistent yields and quality production.

By addressing these challenges head-on, stakeholders can transform the current high-cost environment into a more sustainable and profitable agribusiness model, ensuring food security and long-term economic benefits for the agrifood sector in Nigeria.