Climate change hits harder as farmers express worry over low harvest

As effects of climate change bite harder on communities around the globe, farmers in Jigawa State have expressed worry over low harvests, as most of them are affected by droughts.

This is connected to the sudden stoppage of rainfalls much earlier than expected, a situation which resulted in stunting of crops and extremely low harvests in crops like rice and millets, among others.

The Guardian investigation revealed that most crops dried up due to insufficient rainfalls this year. A large scale rice farmer, Mallam Yusuf Mato, described the situation as horrible and pathetic, saying: “I used to farm and cultivate over a hundred bags of rice yearly, but with the situation on ground, I don’t think I will even secure what I can feed my family with.”

Another farmer, Isa Kakau, in Dutse Local Government area, denied receiving any support, stressing, “as a farmer in the last 25 years, there wasn’t a time I received any government support on agriculture.” 

In places like Gumel, Taura, Ringim, Birnin-Kudu, Roni, Gwiwa, Yankwashi, Babura, Gagarawa, Sule-Tankarkar, Kazaure, Maigatari and Kiyawa, among other councils in Jigawa, most of the crops dried up due to shortage of rainfalls.