Nigeria’s silent agricultural crisis: Why roads, storage, herdsmen question — must be solved

By Chi Tola

In Nigeria’s struggle to feed itself, the conversation often circles fertilizer, subsidies, and land. Yet, the core issue staring us in the face is simpler and more urgent: infrastructure and logistics.

And in recent years, an added layer has emerged — the continued disruption caused by open grazing and unchecked herdsmen activity.

Let’s take a step back. Farmers in Benue, Kaduna, and parts of the Southeast are growing crops, against all odds. But up to 40% of what they grow never makes it to market.

Why? Because there’s no access road, no cold storage, and no organized logistics system. Food dies on the farm.

We cannot continue to overlook this. Agriculture is not just about growing food. It’s about moving food, storing food, and protecting those who grow it. That’s where we’re failing.

The herdsmen factor: Still a present danger
While the frequency of violent clashes between farmers and herdsmen has reduced, the problem persists. Many communities still live under the threat of midnight grazing or the destruction of crops by wandering herds.

In Plateau, Nasarawa, and even the South, farmers report entire farmlands being wiped out — with no compensation, and no justice.

Despite federal directives and state-level anti-open grazing laws, some herders remain defiantly non-compliant.

This lawlessness not only threatens food production but also undermines national peace and deters youth from taking up farming. After all, why invest in agriculture if your harvest won’t survive the season?

The disadvantages of unregulated grazing are crop destruction and wasted investment, farmer displacement and rural poverty, reduced food supply and higher market prices.

Heightened ethnic and regional tensions, Practical, Workable Solutions

1. Enforce Ranching and Grazing Reserves
Provide support for herders to transition, but penalize illegal open grazing. Enforcement is key.

2. Strengthen Rural Security
Equip community security outfits to respond to farm invasions and enforce grazing laws fairly.

3. Use Technology for Protection
Surveillance drones, GPS tracking, and fencing can help monitor and secure large farmlands.

4. Invest in Agricultural Infrastructure
Roads, cold storage, and transport must be prioritized — especially in areas affected by herder-farmer conflict.

5. Promote Dialogue, But Prioritize Rule of Law
While community dialogue is important, it must go hand-in-hand with clear legal enforcement and policy implementation.

Conclusion: Feeding Nigeria Requires Order

We cannot modernize agriculture while tolerating disorder on our farms. We must connect the farms to the cities, preserve the food we grow, and end the outdated systems that put our future at risk.

The herdsman and the farmer must both survive — but within a system built on structure, innovation, and peace.

Only then can Nigeria truly achieve food security — not in policy papers, but on every table across the country.

Chi Tola is a policy advocate and development commentator focused on agriculture and rural innovation in Africa.