Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the Collapse of Northern Agriculture -By Turaki Abdulhamid Yahya

His Excellency,

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR

President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,

Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Your Excellency Sir,

A Cry from the North: Why the Nigerian Farmer Deserves Government Protection.

There is growing pain and disappointment across Northern Nigeria, not merely from insecurity or unemployment, but from the silent collapse of agriculture, the very foundation of our people’s survival and dignity.

Agriculture has always been more than an occupation for Northerners; it is a way of life, a heritage of hard work, and a symbol of self-reliance. From the rice fields of Kebbi to the cattle markets of Adamawa, millions of Nigerians depend on the soil and their sweat to sustain their families. But today, the farmers who feed the nation are crying out in frustration and despair.

Your Excellency, we remember vividly the agricultural revival that occurred under the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari when the land borders were closed. That policy, though challenging, gave birth to local production and renewed national pride. Nigerians began to believe in themselves again. Rice mills sprang up across the North; small-scale processing industries flourished. In rural communities like Gurin Ward in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State, people who once lived in poverty suddenly found prosperity through honest farming. They built homes, purchased vehicles, paid Hajj fees, and supported their families, all from agriculture.

But that glory is fast fading away. Today, fertilizer prices have skyrocketed beyond the reach of small farmers. The cost of chemicals and labour has risen sharply, while the prices of farm produce; rice, maize, millet, groundnuts, and cattlex all have crashed to painful levels. Many hardworking farmers now sell below their production cost, sinking into debt and hopelessness.

Your Excellency, what baffles us most is the contradiction in the market system. Why do agricultural products continue to lose value while the prices of other commodities; such as sugar, pasta, Maggi, petrol, and transportation keep rising? Why must the farmer’s sweat be undervalued while traders of imported goods thrive?

If petrol prices can be regulated, if sugar and pasta can be protected through tariffs, why can’t Nigeria protect the value of its local farm produce?

Sir, the North has the land, the labour, and the loyalty. What we lack is government protection and fair economic policy. Agriculture can still be Nigeria’s strongest economic weapon, if given proper attention and value.

Therefore, I respectfully appeal to Your Excellency and the Federal Government to consider the following urgent actions:

1. Stabilize farm commodity prices by establishing a national produce purchasing board to buy directly from farmers at fair rates.

2. Provide transparent input subsidies on fertilizers, seeds, and agrochemicals to reduce the cost of production.

3. Support agro-industrialization by funding small and medium-scale processors in rice, maize, tomatoes, and livestock.

4. Revisit trade and border policies to protect local farmers from unfair foreign competition.

5. Invest in rural infrastructure, Such as; roads, storage facilities, and irrigation systems in order to boost productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.

Your Excellency, when agriculture flourishes, hunger disappears. When hunger disappears, peace returns. And when peace returns, the nation prospers. The survival of Nigeria’s economy depends on the survival of its farmers.

The Northern farmer is not asking for luxury; only for fairness, protection, and recognition.

Writes from Adamawa State,