FOOD SECURITY IN A DARK TUNNEL AS CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES WITH A SCREAMER

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The darkness, characterizing the situation of food security in Benue state and its environs looms threateningly and large. This is observable through adequate statistics which speak an understandable language of future uncertainties regarding the what, how and where of the journey towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goals number two which, seeks amongst other related matters, to, by the year 2030, eliminate all traces of hunger globally.

Through a random survey of the changes occasioned by the status quo of climate change by The Transmitter Newspaper in some selected com munities in the state, it has been observed that the effects of climate change have presently an almost insurmountable barrier against the processes of food production and by extension, have resulted into adequate disruption in the chain of distribution of food to where such is most needed.

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When visited, communities in the South- South senatorial district such as Ajegba OChobo, Okpiko, both of Ohimini local government area of the state, farmers recounted and projected amidst fear of a possible famine waiting to strike just as when the time would be due. Responding to questions put through by the correspondent, a respondent who pleaded anonymous spoke on how the issues accompanying climate change have drastically crippled a once bubbling agricultural community.” the effect of climate change became noticeable in April of last year. Normally, it usually, until last year, it starts raining in April. In any case, it started May last year and as a result, it disrupted the farming circle and crops mostly affected yams, cassava, groundnut etc. when conducted round farms in the affected communities, it was observed by The Transmitter, how large yam farms were badly affected due to acute shortage in rainfall and in its place, the presence of peculiar pests which had eaten badly the leaves which are primarily used by the plants in food manufacturing through a biological process of chlorophyll. A visit to a cassava and groundnut farms in the aforementioned communities presented a worse picture of the dreadful impacts of climate change, “as you can see for yourself, this is a whole hectare of groundnut but considering the bad climate, I am very certain that I will harvest less than a bag”, said Oklobia Uche. Asked what used to be his size of harvest in the good days gone past on the same size of plant, “I used to harvest seven to eight bags. His pessimism was undoubtedly shared by the reporter as groundnut and cassava farms were by more than half, withered away due to a most an unlikely scorching sun rays in that time of the year.

Similarly, Oko Joseph, owner of a pig farm, said, “those of us into pig farming have lost most of the pigs due to excessive heat and attacks from strange diseases that have killed up to fifteen pigs in a same day”. Humans, in a distinctive way, are not spared the hammering effects of climate change. Respondents lamented the presence of peculiar ailments which in separate, a good number of respondents attributed to fall in diet of inhabitants due to climate change band subsequent decline in quality of food available in the community and homes.

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The most likely question in times like now, when the issue of climate change has reached breathtaking dimension, is as to whether organizations, both local and international, have failed in all their rhetoric on needs for adjustment in strategies towards improving environment- friendly practices or still better or a burst forth and instigation of total overhauling of long used methods which, instead of progress, have become barriers in the way of restoring nature to its lost glory. Whichever direction minds may tilt, the obvious is continuing purposefully and no time has been more appropriate than as it seemingly is now to intensify fight against climate change,

In the North Eastern part of Benue State, Mr Mande Sesugh of Ichol community in Kwande local government spoke to the reporter of a bleak future as far as the current climate situation continues unabated. He split the effects to family and the community, “as rural dwellers, we solely depend on agriculture for income, food and even our general comfort. In this same agricultural life, the year 2020 was a bad year as many of us who cultivated a variety of crops could not harvest as desired because of acute shortage in rainfall”. In all areas covered in the course of this interviews, the sights and stories bespoke of a presently unstoppable ravaging effects of climate change on the culminated processes of food production and distribution. When the rain had delayed, Shomgbaa superstitiously made a conclusion which would later overwhelm all his powers of understanding on whether, “at first I thought we needed appease certain gods. However, as time wore on, the reality began to unfold itself in an alarming manner”. When Shomgbaa had obliged a guide of tour round his OGBONO orchard, the sight of OGBONO pods dried up prematurely resonated a scary indices of an unpredictable affairs of supply of the seeds of OGBONO in the market.

Like an unstoppable beast on a rampage, the effects of climate have spread to embrace the very psychological and day to day conduct of the lives of the people in the communities under investigation. “somehow, I am bold to disclose that the current situation has effect in the religious, social and the family lives of the people”. The words of Pastor Richard Jiija were immediately soldered and collaborated by Shaapera Christian who, speaking on the impact of climate change on the vulnerable groups such as women and children, lameented how catering for the home has come to surpass all other family needs and even at that, meeting these needs have become a herculean task due to fall in amount of harvest, “it is difficult providing food for the children. This problem is more affecting on us the widows since we don’t have husbands who in most cases, are the major providers of food in homes”’

The dark tunnel in which food security has been thrown has presented communities with a situation which demands for urgent and premeditated processes and the means of confronting head on the need for a continuous flow of food. In Anune Mbagwa, already, the communal living through willful contribution of food items to be distributed to those in dire needs has received acceptance and encouragement. “this is where we want the government and NGOs to step in and help the fight against hunger”, said Tsokaa Adaagba.

Climate change is an age-long companion of man. Despite the long way of coming together, the later has continued in his struggles of parting ways with the former is continuously seem to be a stumbling block in all the objectives of man’s quest towards self- sufficiency in food production and distribution. Already, organisations, home and abroad have continue in their concerted steps towards restoring where it has been lost in nature. A recent survey by the UNDP to ascertain where we are in terms of the effects of climate change is a laudable and clear indication of an unquenchable spirit of all parties in involved in the fight against climate change and its effects. It is the faith all and sundry that when such findings are implemented, they will, no doubt, assist in the journey towards food sufficiency and nature-friendly practices. Both the federal and the state must intensify calls for needs for afforestation and a proper disbursement to programs like the FADAMA will boost dry season farming as a way of salvaging the situation telling on the agriculture and output in food production due to acute shortage in rainfall. The presence of crises in the upper and lower Benue valley have not helped matters at all as this have produced more dependent population and curtailed significantly, agricultural activities thereby compounding the problem of food insecurity in the state.

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