…Say insecurity keeping them away from farmlands
By ADEGWU JOHN, Abuja and AZA MSUE, Kaduna
As the 2026 planting season gathers momentum, widespread insecurity across major agricultural communities is undermining farming activities and raising concerns over food security in the country.
From the North-West to the North-East and North-Central regions, farmers are increasingly abandoning their farms due to fear of attacks by armed groups, kidnappings and other security threats. Even in some southern states, villagers are afraid to go to distant farms for fear of being attacked by terrorists.
Findings from LEADERSHIP Weekend show that insecurity has worsened in several farming communities, particularly at a time when land preparation, planting, and cultivation activities should be at their peak.
Data from security reports indicate that between January and early February 2026, insecurity claimed 1,258 lives nationwide, with rural communities accounting for a significant number of the casualties.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) also recorded more than 4,300 security-related fatalities in the first quarter of the year.
Major agricultural states, including Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kogi and Kwara, as well as parts of the North-West, have continued to experience attacks by bandits and other armed groups, forcing many farmers to flee their communities.
In Benue State, attacks on farming communities have resulted in the deaths of several farmers and the destruction of property. Plateau State has also witnessed increased violence, leading to the displacement of thousands of residents and reducing the workforce available for cultivation.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that as many as 35 million Nigerians could face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season if disruptions to agricultural production persist.
Amid the challenges, farmers and stakeholders say the planting season is being conducted in a climate of fear and uncertainty, with many smallholder farmers scaling down operations or abandoning distant farmlands in favour of plots closer to their homes.
Vice President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Daniel Okafor, said farmers were willing to cultivate their lands but are worried about their safety.
“Farmers are ready and determined to go to their farms, but there is fear of the unknown. They are not sure what will happen if they go to the farm or whether they will return safely.
“Many farmers cannot access their farms. Insecurity is the order of the day. Thousands of our members are affected by terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and farmer-herder conflicts. Government is making efforts, but more need to be done,” he said.
In the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, farmers said insecurity had affected preparations for the farming season.
A maize farmer, Musa Adamu, said many farmers were approaching the season cautiously.
“We are preparing for the rainy season – because farming is our livelihood, but insecurity is making many people afraid.
‘‘Some farmers have stopped going to distant farms because of kidnappers and armed groups. Government should deploy more security personnel to farming communities,” he said.
Another farmer, Esther Danladi, warned that reduced access to farms could have serious implications for food production and prices.
“If farmers are unable to access their farms, food production will reduce. As food production declines, prices will rise, and more Nigerians will struggle to feed their families. Government must act urgently to secure farmlands and support farmers,” she said.
A vegetable farmer in Orozo, Abuja, Grace Yakubu, said insecurity had also taken a psychological toll on women farmers, noting that many now rely on relatives to accompany them to farms, thereby reducing the time spent on cultivation.
A rice farmer in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, Williams Egwuda, concurs that insecurity remains one of the biggest obstacles to agricultural production.
“Bandits, kidnappers and herders are affecting our production. Farmers can no longer focus on their work due to fear. In some cases, while some people work on the farm, others keep watch for possible attacks,” he said.
Egwuda called on the government at all levels to strengthen security in rural communities and to provide greater support to farmers through farm inputs, machinery, and access to affordable loans.
He, however, acknowledged recent efforts by the Kogi State government to support farmers through the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The agriculture commissioner has been making efforts to ensure farmers receive support from the government, but there is still a need for more interventions, including fertilisers, improved seedlings, herbicides, tractors and spraying equipment,” he added.