Climate Change Threatens Nigerian Farmers: The Water Scarcity

In Nigeria, farmers are grappling with severe water shortages and are battling a silent crisis: water scarcity. As rivers and lakes dry up across the country, particularly in the arid north, the agricultural sector, vital to Nigeria’s economy and food security, is under threat. Climate change is widely blamed, and without urgent action, experts warn of a looming food crisis.

The decisions of farmers in the north, which accounts for about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s agriculture, are already affecting food prices and availability in the booming coastal south that’s home to the city of Lagos (with an estimated population of over 21 million people). Farmers say once-reliable water bodies are drying up.

 Growing Water Crisis in Sokoto

In Sokoto state, north-western Nigeria, the landscape tells a stark story. Where rivers and lakes once flowed, only cracked, dry earth remains. a farmer in the community, who has worked his five-hectare farm for over two decades. Today, he faces an unprecedented challenge: finding water. “All these things are a result of climate change,” he says. “In previous years, we didn’t know the dryness of rivers like this, but now they are dry.”

A muddy puddle is all that’s left of the river that once irrigated the crops. With no other option, farmers now relies on groundwater, a costly and unsustainable solution. The financial strain is compounded by the need to fuel generators to power the pumps, a burden many smallholder farmers cannot afford.

Smallholder Farmers Under Pressure

Smallholder farmers, who make up over 80% of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, are the backbone of the country’s food production, accounting for 90% of annual output. Often working with rudimentary tools like hand-carved wood, these farmers are particularly vulnerable to environmental changes. The northern region, responsible for 70% of Nigeria’s agriculture, is bearing the brunt of the water crisis, with ripple effects felt in southern cities like Lagos, home to over 21 million people.

According to AFEX, a private commodities exchange, the land cultivated for maize—Nigeria’s largest cereal crop—dropped from 6.2 million hectares in 2021 to 5.8 million hectares in 2022. This decline reflects the growing difficulty farmers face in securing water for irrigation.

Environmental and Economic Toll

Dr. Isa Yusuf-Sokoto, an environmentalist at Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, attributes the drying rivers to climate change and deforestation. “Two-thirds of the trees across Sokoto are now gone, contributing to rising temperatures,” he says. “Without emergency intervention, we face a food crisis, water crisis, and even health crisis.”

The economic impact is significant. Agriculture contributed 22.61% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2024, slightly down from 23.01% in Q2 2023, according to the [National Bureau of Statistics](https://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/elibrary/read/1241549). Reports indicate food imports reached a five-year high, underscoring Nigeria’s growing reliance on external sources. With the population projected to reach 400 million by 2050, declining crop yields could exacerbate food insecurity.

Pathways to Resilience

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is advocating for climate-smart agriculture to help secure Nigeria’s food future. The Nigerian government has also directed agricultural research institutes to develop solutions, such as drought-resistant crops and efficient irrigation systems. Key measures include:

• Drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting to conserve water.
• Solar-powered pumps to reduce the cost of groundwater pumping.
• Subsidies and low-interest loans to help farmers afford wells and equipment.
• Agroforestry and soil conservation to retain moisture and combat desertification.

Community-based solutions, such as cooperatives and water user associations, could also help farmers share resources and manage water more equitably.

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