Food Crisis Imminent In Adamawa, Director Warns

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has raised alarm on the possibility of food crisis in Adamawa following the recent flood disaster in the state.

The Federal Director of Agriculture in Adamawa, Dr Walia Hamman, who stated this in Yola  recently in an interview with our  correspondent.

Hamman said following the devastating flood that affected almost half of the state, thousands of farms were confirmed totally submerged or washed away.

“According to reports reaching us from our sources, between 30 and 50 thousand tonnes of maize, rice and other food crops were likely to be lost to the flood in the 2012 farming season, “.

The Director noted that considering the large damages on the farmlands there was likely to be food crisis in the state if immediate action was not taken to address the situation.

He said most of the farmers affected by the disaster were more preoccupied with how to save themselves and their families from the disaster than thinking of their farms.

“Unless the federal and state governments assist the farmers in time, if the situation was allowed to run out of hand, it could result in possible food crisis and poverty among the farmers, “ he said.

He advised the government to come up with a new agricultural insurance scheme that would cover rural farmers to enable them get relief whenever there was any natural disaster of this nature.

On the rural infrastructure damaged by the flood, he said the ministry was still compiling its report on it.