As farmers seek import ban, Nigeria buys same quantity of maize abroad

July 12, 2020Ntiedo Ekott

A Maize Farm [PHOTO CREDIT: AgroNewsNigeria]

For years, maize farmers have complained that they have the capacity to meet the country’s annual demand of maize both for human consumption and animal feeds.

The farmers have accused the government of refusing to ban maize importation as it has done with rice.

Edwin Uche, is the national chairman of Maize Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (MAGPAN), told PREMIUM TIMES that maize farmers in Nigeria can produce enough maize needed in the country if the government supports them with more incentives.

“We are capable of producing the needed quantity of maize in the country if the government can place a ban on maize importation and provide us with the necessary incentives such as financial aids, loans, fertilizer among others,” Uche said.

In 2019, Nigeria was the third largest maize importer in Africa, behind Zimbabwe and Kenya which imported 1 million tones and 900,000 tons respectively.

Data showing 2019 importation rate in some African countries

According to Abraham Godson, a former research supervisor at IITA, Ibadan, continuous importation of agricultural commodities like maize can weaken the country’s economy.

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“It is sad that we still import many of the agricultural produce that we produce locally. This leads to the continued depreciation of the naira and in turn weakening of the economy and our international purchasing power. More efforts should be made at changing our economy and especially the agricultural sector from a consumption-oriented to export-oriented,” Mr Godson said.

“A new strategic policy is urgently needed to reverse this trend. It should be geared towards modernizing agriculture through supply of agricultural machinery to farmers, improved seeds, agrochemicals to farmers, and a nationwide capacity building and training for those involved in agriculture,” he added.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 23 during the flag-off of 2020 wet season maize farming in Delta State expressed its readiness to support about 200,000 maize farmers across the country to boost maize production in Nigeria.

The plan, according to CBN, is to support maize farmers with 166,000 farming inputs that will lead to the production of a minimum of 4 tons of maize in a hectare of land.

CBN said it would do more next season if farmers deliver.

“Like the anchor borrowers programme that was set up to support farmers, we are excited about it and we are doing well with the support of the scheme. If more of such can be created for farmers, our production level will increase and it will create employment in the sector as well as boosting food sufficiency,” Mr Uche of MAGBAN said.