The demand for sesame seeds is increasing globally. Despite being a large producer and exporter, Nigeria still has a lot of untapped potential in the sesame market, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

 

The report by the United States-based market research and consulting firm, Hexa Research, has said it all: Global sesame seeds market size is expected to hit $17.77 billion by 2025.

It noted that the popularity of the seeds as an ingredient in many foods was key in the market. Increased application of the product as an anti-oxidant in various pharmaceutical formulations is expected to drive the market.

 

Sesame Seed Market Report 

 

The world sesame seed production is estimated at 4. 8 million tonnes; with 10 countries – Myanmar, India, China, Tanzania, Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and Niger – accounting for over 80 per cent of it.

Africa, it noted, accounts for over 45 per cent of the crop, and in the last 10 years has become as a fast-growing supplier of sesame seed in the world market.

Of the global production, over two million tons are exported yearly mainly to China (one million tonnes), Japan (150,000 tonnes), Turkey (150,000 tonnes), European Union (150,000 tonnes), South Korea (100,000 tonnes) and Vietnam (100,000 tonnes).

US, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also importers.

The global demand for the commodity is on the increase, and expected to grow at a 4.2 per cent compound yearly rate (CAGR) between 2018 and 2024.

Nigeria’s exports to China, Turkey, Japan, Vietnam and South Korea.

The Chief Executive, Dawacom International Limited, Sotonye Anga, an agribusinessman, sees a positive outlook and supports government policies for promoting sesame seeds farming.

According to him, sesame seed is an export crop, which he and other producers buy at Dawanou International Grain Market in Kano and other places.

In some cases, experienced farmers don’t sell their produce in September – during the harvest season when supply is high.They do that in December,when the price of a tonne of sesame seeds could hit N300, 000 from N170, 000.

Anga said: “There is a big potential, considering the diversified applications of sesame oil and its derivatives. Demand will continue to increase; the future is very bright for sesame seed in Nigeria. As a result, more people are welcomed into the sector. My experience has been good. We ship mainly to Asian countries such as China and Japan.’’

While relatively successful and established, challenges facing sesame producers are considerable. One of these is price fluctuation at the international market.

“Price fluctuation affects every commodity. Once your contract is well negotiated, the terms are clear; you wouldn’t  have a challenge, especially when you have an irrevocable letter of credit in place. People have problems when they don’t have confirmed letters of credit (LC) and go ahead and ship. We hear of issues bordering on non-performance with regard to payment from the importer. The other challenge is the discovery of aflatoxins on cargo on arrival by the importer.This is caused by the entry of moths. But I have not had that experience. People have also had their produce rejected on account of phyto sanitary certificates,” Anga said.

The European Union (EU) has been on the look out for contaminated agro exports, including sesame seed coming into the region.

The concerns stem from the yellow warnings it has issued over severe chemical contamination of agroproduce from Africa and Asia.

Last month, the European Alert Food System said it recorded about 500 reports of  unauthorised Ethylene Oxide (EtOx) substance in products with sesame seeds.

EtOx is banned in Europe. It is known to have strong insecticidal properties.

The use of EtOx, as a component of plant protection, is prohibited under EU regulation, but  its use as part of biocidal products is authorised  for certain items.

International Food Safety News said EtOx  is used to control insects as fumigant for spices, seasonings and foodstuffs.

Belgium made the first alert in September last year in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed concerning pesticides residues in various sesame seeds from India. Three months later, most European countries have been affected.

Last year, international pre-shipment organisation, SGS, in its report identified Ethylene and 2-Choroethanol in a large percentage of parcels with distributed sesame seeds.

As a toxic compound, it has a low maximum residue level (MRL) for food matrices or related substances.

There are a host of other challenges, including  the chronic hazards of pests and diseases, along with shortages of labour, inappropriate agricultural practices, inadequate transportation infrastructure and access to electricity  and lack of access to finance.

At present, Nigeria is  the seventh-largest exporter of sesame seeds in the world.

In the first quarter of last year, the Federal  Government recorded $49 billion from exporting its seeds.

That was not the only  positive news.  Earlier this year, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Segun Awolowo, expressed delight over the attainment of Global Organic Certification status for the nation’s sesame seed by WACOT Nigeria from ECOCERT International.

Hosting the National Sesame Seeds Association of Nigeria (NSSAN), led by the President, Mr Sheriff Balogun and his deputy, Mr Sadiq Kassim, in Abuja, Awolowo said it was a landmark achievement for Nigeria.

He said this placed Nigeria on the world map of organic product producers and marketers.

The association acknowledged NEPC’s role in promoting and supporting the NSSAN through emphasis on quality product standards and various collaborations in capacity building of farmers in good agricultural practices along the value chain.

Balogun said sesame was a commodity that could help the Federal Government achieve its diversification bid, if the right policies and programmes were put in place.

His words: “We are one of the global players. We are producing between 500,000 and 530,000 tonnes of sesame annually. In a recent convention in Turkey, Nigeria was recognised as number four or five, depending on where you are quoting the statistics.

“Nigeria has the potential to become world number one producer of sesame seed. As an association, we are working toward that. We have a five-year development plan where we seek to raise our production to at least 800,000 tonnes per annum. This is doable and hopefully we will get there very soon.

“In terms of income generation, almost 95 percent of the sesame seed we produce goes for export at the rate of about $1,400 per metric tonne.

“ At an average production of 500,000 tonnes per annum, you are looking at about $700 million.

“I see us generating over $1 billion if we are able to raise production to 800,000 tonnes. $1,400 multiply by 800,000, gives over a $billion.

“As a country, we are not doing badly, but our intention is to scale it up so that we can get more benefits. We have the market. So far, China and Japan are the highest importers of our sesame seed and Turkey is also becoming a big player in the importation of our sesame seed.”

Balogun said beyond export, the seed has added value to the economy, adding that some companies were de-hauling it; others were producing oil from it. He also said income could be generated from farmers and from other associated support services  such as transportation, logistics providers, financial providers, resulting in a whole value chain process.“The oil is also used in the massage industry as well as in the beauty sector. In the confectionary, sesame seed is used in making bread and burger. It is equally used for making mayonnaises and cooking because of the non-saturated fat. It is used in the sports sector to maintain weight. A bar of it gives instant energy. It has also been in used for several years in India to treat heart diseases, according to findings.”

He said a lot of awareness should be created for farmers to ensure that they do the right thing in terms of ensuring quality, harvest and packaging were done to meet international standards.

“Once farmers, who are at the primary level, do the right thing, what is required at the secondary level will not be much,’’ he said.

He further said the Federal Government had selected sesame seed as one of the crops to be given financial support through the NEXIM Bank. According to him, sesame has been considered among five crops with the potential of generating foreign exchange income.

“The guidelines for the funding are out and members are beginning to approach the bank to request for funding to enable them export the crop. So, I think there are a couple of policies and programmes that have been put in place that will assist to get the sesame seed industry going.

“The industry has the capacity to generate employment if repositioned because Nigeria has low yield of sesame. A hectare provides between 0.7 and 0.8 tonnes and if we want to target 800,000 tonnes per annum, it means we need 100,000 farmers,” Balogun added.

There are about four improved varieties of sesame seed but, generally, we have two main types. The Nasarawa type or Kano type and then, you have the whitish and brownish.

“These are the main distinctions but there are others. Some come in small sizes, others big sizes. We also have the black one, which is not cultivated so much but it is more expensive than the white one because it is highly valued for its medicinal content. We heard some Chinese companies say they want us to grow it, especially for them.

“So, they are giving the seed to farmers to do some trials and, hopefully, as part of our expansion, we will have dedicated areas that we will produce; just the black one.”

Meanwhile, AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited, a leading private commodities exchange company, has listed sesame seeds on its platform, in a bid to diversify investment options and create more wealth.

Other commodities listed on the exchnage included maize, sorghum, soybean, paddy rice, cocoa, ginger, sesame and cashew.

In Africa, sesame seed is produced in about 24 countries — Tanzania, Sudan, Guinea, Morocco, Togo, Gambia, Cameroon, Cote D’Voire, Angola, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Benin, Kenya, Mozambique, Mali, Chad, Egypt, Central Africa Republic, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Uganda and Nigeria.

The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developing countries export their products to Europe.

In addition, mainstreaming of these ethnic foods and the interest in vegan food contribute to a growing demand for sesame.

Germany and Greece are the largest markets, but there is also the potential for growth in countries such as Poland, France and Italy.

According to the centre, it has had a long-term demand for thousands of tonnes of sesame seeds. Since 2013, the import volume increased above 120,000 tonnes. Increased production is needed to fulfil a basic demand from food manufacturers and bakers to use sesame in products such as branded snacks and standard bakery products.

 

The African Union (AU) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have been pushing for investment in agriculture and increased food production. At a webinar, experts in agribusiness incubators and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) showed the way to go, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

 

The African Union (AU) and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) hope of riding on the back of the agric sector to grow the non-oil sector and create jobs is getting brighter.

This follows increased partnership at fostering job and employment creation in Africa through business incubation and technology exchange.

With agriculture as one of the major planks of the continent’s  strategic re-focusing on the non-oil sector to diversify their economies, focus appears to be shifting to promoting new agro ventures.

There are successful business incubators in other sectors, especially Information and Communications Technology (ICT), engineering and manufacturing.

To unleash the potential in agri-business, experts and stakeholders in the sector are canvassing the promotion of agri-business incubation centres to make smooth the way for new, young farmers’ entrants.

Consequently, AU and FAO have promoted the establishment of agri-business ventures through a pool of commercialisable agro-technologies from Research and Development (R&D) institutes, provided access to infrastructural facilities, made available capacity building and mentoring, and facilitated funding.

It was the main point of an online dialogue with Agribusiness incubators and SMEs in North Africa organised by AU, in collaboration with FAO.

Addressing the Online dialogue, the Head of Rural Economy Division, African Union Commission, Dr. Janet Edeme, observed that most African countries rely on agriculture for their income and employment.

She said, however, that the contribution of the agriculture towards gross domestic product (GDP) and poverty reduction was not  significant because of  the inability of the  sector to strengthen agri-processing to capture a larger part of the value chain and reduce post-harvest losses.

Her words: “Women and youths, especially those living in rural areas, have insufficient access to knowledge, information and education on improved agricultural technologies and frequently lack the business acumen to develop their ideas to build solid agri-businesses. They also have limited access to financial services and frequently lack the collaterals that investors normally require.”

She added: “The further development of agribusiness incubators and accelerators can significantly help in these respects. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are proving to be highly important in the agriculture sector as they can be used to provide extension services, access to markets and finance; tools for enhancing trade and transactions as well as for learning and sharing. Agribusiness incubators provide important support in the identification and adoption of technologies appropriate for specific enterprises, as well as to mentor and motivate entrepreneurs and facilitate market linkages.”

While most development plans give high priority to agriculture, the President, Agripreneurship Alliance, Anne Roulin, noted agriculture in Africa suffers from years of under-investment, limited research, and scant inputs, technology and services for farmers.

Presenting a report entitled: Study on agri-business incubation in Africa: Status and prospects, Anne Roulin noted that the emergence of incubators has helped agri-business focused startups explore new models of innovation.

She said there were over 400 incubators/accelerators across Africa – with over 150 on agribusiness.  However, of the 400 in the Directory of Incubators  in Africa,  only 10 entrepreneurs support organisations have food technology pilot processing facilities, while  Food Science Departments in universities provide mostly theoretical training,, she added.

Her words: “African food entrepreneurs need practical knowledge in a wide range of processing technologies. Experimental kitchens are needed to develop innovative products for local tastes – developing healthy processed food using local ingredients.”

Capturing the huge potential in AgTech, she added, was hampered by lack of software engineers, especially advanced coding.

“Some incubators such as Wennovation in Nigeria had to start their IT coding schools. African Universities need to develop programmes in advanced coding.”

On the experience in Tunisia, Senior Consultant & Agripreneur, Deloitte, Tunisia, Sabà Nefzi said much had taken place to strengthen the agricultural extension and training ecosystem.

This, she added, has ensured a rapid impact on farmers’ productivity, added value to the needs of the agriculture vocational training centres, diversification of the agricultural sector and an amplification of success in terms of growth.

She said there were support for green entrepreneurship, adding that entrepreneurs have been empowered for  projects in renewable energy.

According to her, several young entrepreneurs are working to grow agriculture through innovation.

A key observation was that most agri-incubators and their promoters often model them after ICT’s environment.

 

As Nigeria grapples with wheat insufficiency, stakeholders have met to discuss strategies to boost its production. DANIEL ESSIET reports

Wheat grain is in high demand from millers and pasta plants owners. To produce the required amount of wheat to feed the world’s growing population, researchers at Department of Global Development, Cornell University, United States predicted that wheat yields must increase at least 1.4 per cent yearly through 2030.

Like other staples, wheat is cultivated in Nigeria. However, its production is not sufficient for domestic requirements.

Despite this, population growth and increased feed grains requirements are expected to drive up Nigeria’s demand for wheat in the approaching years.

The government has sought to reduce its reliance on imports by encouraging increased domestic production. Continued imports impose a significant drain on the Federal Government’s foreign exchange reserves.

But  farmers are encountering various problems from weather,to market prices and high costs of inputs.

To  keep   feeding its vast and growing  population, stakeholders  resolved that  efforts must be made to improve the wheat supply  to meet growing demand for bread and other products.

The forum was an online  webinar, entitled: “Deepening the wheat farming development programme in Nigeria through innovation, increasing investments, and collaborations.” It was  run by Olam Grain, a leading food and agribusiness conglomerate, which supports government, policymakers, and industry leaders achieve wheat self-sufficiency and food security.

The conference embodies much of the knowledge base for wheat research and development.

During the programme that  featured top-level Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development officials, the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), experts discussed on the challenges facing wheat production.

One concern was that Nigeria’s wheat production has been so dismal.

Colloborating this is data from the United States Department of Agriculture, which indicated that the country produced just 2.06 per cent of the total amount of wheat consumed between 2010 and 2020.

Notwithstanding, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono,  has assured  that  since wheat is a  key driver of  growth,  the government was working to increase local production through strategic investments and programmes to  help to build a strong  sector.

The Minister, who spoke through his Technical Adviser on Knowledge Management and Communications, Richard-Mark Mbaram, urged stakeholders to make wheat farming attractive and competitive.

The Chairman, Agricultural Colleges and Institutions Committee of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Munir Babba Dan Agundi, said the focus should be on accelerated production of high-quality wheat varieties and ensuring they reach farmers who need them.

He emphasised the need to bring public authorities and private companies together to discuss how best to advance the sector and make  it stronger and even more efficient.

He urged the the Federal Government to work with  stakeholders to  set up innovation platforms to scale up innovative technologies, seed production and distribution in all of the country’s major wheat producing areas.

The Guest Speaker, Dr Filippo Maria Bassi, said Nigeria could make a headway in wheat production if there were concerted efforts to help the farmers to boost yields by deploying productivity-enhancing technologies.

A senior scientist at the International Centre for the Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) based in Morocco, Bassi is 2017 Olam prize winner .

He has established heat-tolerant wheat varieties in Senegal and Mauritania  that  are now   cultivated by farmers in Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and the Republic of the Gambia.

Bassi leads the international breeding programme of ICARDA for the improvement of durum wheat.

The team released two ICARDA durum wheat varieties—named Haby and Amina—capable of producing an average of three tonnes per hectare in just 92 days.

For the National President Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Salim Mohammed, the future of wheat is an important  question  for  policy makers,uring  for concerted efforts to make  Nigeria  a  bread basket .

Mohammed,however  noted that the domestic production  has   suffered  from lack of policy support and  the perception that Nigeria  cannot competitively produce wheat. He said that there was  a need to have a discussion between the government and the farmers, to achieve the much needed synergy in addressing  challenges  as well as mapping out strategies for improvement.

The Head, Flour Milling Association of Nigeria’s (FMAN), Wheat Development Programme, Sarah Huber said the association has  provided input loan and training on modern farming techniques to the farmers with a view to boosting their annual output and reduce production cost.

Huber said the association was encouraging cultivation across the wheat-producing states through additional aggregation and warehouse capacity, including the commitment to off-take all wheat grain meeting basic quality standards.

Huber said the ultimate objective is to make wheat competitive, noting that wheat farmer service centres have been established in 15 local government areas in Jigawa, Kano and Kebbi states to drive the 2020/2021 wheat farming season. She also said the centres would provide free training to farmers on modern farming methods and would also serve as points for direct off-take of wheat grains for up to 5,000 farmers.

She maintained that, the research farm was established in Ringim Local Government with support of Lake Chad Research Institute for new seeds varieties from Mexico and Sudan and improved agronomic practices.

A Senior Research Officer, Lake Chad Research Institute, Dr  Kachalla Kyari Mala,  noted  that  revamping wheat production would  require massive investments in irrigation and rural roads, access to finance and  construction of storage facilities.

 

Nigerian agricultural sector is expanding to increase its presence in international markets. To realise this, the sector needs to improve its transport and logistics systems, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Globally, efficient, low-cost trade logistics is recognised as an essential factor in agro export competitiveness. Local and international markets are demanding more quality services in all areas, including transportation of  agro exports.

Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s capacity to move and connect exporters with international markets around the world is still low.   It ranked 91 in the Index of Trade Logistics Performance (LPI) of the World Bank.

The  congestion on roads, at airports and aseaports, high logistics costs, inadequate infrastructure, distorted logistics service markets, and fragmented governance hamper freight, further eroding the nation’s  competitive edge.

For experts, improving Nigeria’s logistics performance provides an opportunity to increase its world market share in agro exports, expand into new markets, and diversify its agriculture into high-value products. Thus far, Nigeria has not managed to achieve significant gains.

For instance, transporting fresh produce  in excellent condition till they arrive on the consumer’s table or importer’s destination has not been easy.

With fertile agricultural land and a large pool of human resources, the  Southwest and Eastern region’s competitive advantages for agro industry have enabled  the expansion of one of the nation’s important segments. The regions  have some of the top producers of fresh fruits and vegetables. This presents an opportunity for farmers and entrepreneurs, in and around the regions, to boost agro-exports.

Despite this, the segment has lagged behind in reaching its full potentia due to insufficient logistics networks.

Considering  enormous trade prospect offered by the regions, the  Director-General, African Centre for Supply Chain  (ACSC ) Dr. Obiora Madu, noted that the nation’s congested transportation and often unsophisticated logistics systems imposed high costs on the economy. He stressed that making the system efficient, can significantly optimise its connectivity, business environment, and competitiveness.

According to him, efficient logistics has become one of the main drivers for global trade competitiveness and export growth and diversification.

Madu noted that the expected growth in agriculture and export markets also called for increased attention to logistical efficiencies at the ports and other transportation modes.

According to him, reforms and investments for better transport and logistics will yield substantial economic benefits and strengthen its competitive advantage.

In February, ACSC held a round table, where the Lagos logistics ring was highlighted as a major port nerve that spans through Apapa-Iganmu-Orile-Mile-Tin Can-Apapa.

Speakers at the event were  the Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dr. Muda Yusuf; Director, Consumer Affairs, Nigeria Shippers Council, Chief Cajethan Agu; and Chairman, Presidential Taskforce on Apapa, Hon. Kayode Opeifa, among others.

They advocated for a functional logistics hub that would deal with complex transportation flows,while it must lower cargo waiting and movement times.

Agro cargo airports 

For Obiora, what Nigeria needs is an airport-based temperature-controlled facility for processing and storage of agro products. He sees airports as a large gateway for the movement of agro products.

For stakeholders, the  establishment of agro airports would be a milestone in the development of a cool logistics corridor for the export of fruit, vegetables and other perishables.

In line with this, Ogun  government is constructing an agro-cargo airport. The Governor, Dapo Abiodun,  said the agro-cargo airport project, conceptualised by the Gbenga Daniel administration in 2007, had lots of potential in the overall development of the state in particular and the country in general.

Abiodun noted that what Ogun was yearning for was an airport that would support its massive agro development potential.

Also, the construction of Ekiti Agro-Allied Cargo Airport in Ekiti State has begun. This is after the Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, handed over the site to the main contractor, CCECC Nigeria Limited. During the site handover,  Fayemi described the project, which mainly entailed the construction of 3.2 kilometres runway, as a promise made and kept for the development of the state.

According to him,  the construction of the airport’s runway pavement would be completed within 15 months, in line with the timeline agreed with the contractors.

One facet of the efforts to improve agro supply chain across the country  is the expansion of  warehousing and storage capacity for commodities.

Since Nigeria is one of the largest  exporters of leading  agro commodities, a consultant to the World Bank, Prof Abel Ogunwale, is urging for the establishment  of more facilities for  storage and  export of a wide range of agricultural produce.

He said the Federal Government should support the establishment of a freight network to boost agricultural and fisheries exports.

He noted that the government needs to rollout a freight export service network, aimed at re-establishing global supply chains and accelerate exports of agricultural and fisheries exports to key overseas markets. In many contexts, he noted that  lack of infrastructure, investment and proper knowledge pose a major challenge to smooth logistics processes.

In Ekiti State, the rate at which farmlands go up in flames is alarming, making farmers and experts call for action, writes BUNMI ADULOJU

All his life, 85-year-old Nicholas Komolafe, an indigene of Oya quarters, Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has been a farmer. Sitting under the shade that this tree provides outside his home, he engages Lawrence Ekunode, his peer, in a conversation. A closer look at him revealed that he is strikingly aged.  With a shaky yet steady voice, he recounted, “I inherited my farmland from my forefathers and that is my only farmland. The farm is my only source of income to cater for my wife and children. My survival now depends on God. I will appreciate any help that the government renders to us.” Komolafe’s farmland was among the about 1000 hectares of farmland gutted by fire on the 19th of February, 2021 at the Oya Quarters of Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Like Pa Komolafe, about 2400 farmers have not recovered from the shock of the wildfire that destroyed their farmlands in the State. These farmers bemoan the wrath of fire as it spreads its tentacles. According to the State Environmental Management Agency (SEMA), about 1000 hectares of farmland has been burnt to the ground in Isinbode, Idogbe, Oya, Ijero-omu, Iludofin, and Iworo quarters in Omuo-Ekiti. Cash crops destroyed include cocoa, banana, oil palm and coffee. When some farmers at Oya Quarters were asked how long it takes for Cocoa to grow, they all laughed at the reality of the question. “It will take about 10years,” they chorused.

This incident is only a fraction in the larger equation of farm fires in the state.

 

More farmlands burn

At the time of filing this report, there had been four confirmed cases of farm fire in three Local Government Areas in the State, according to the State Environmental Management Agency (SEMA). Officials of the agency had done four damage assessments at Iloro Ekiti and Ikoro Ekiti in Ijero Local Government area, Ekiti State, Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government and Omu Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area, Ekiti State. However, the agency had received news of other cases in five other Local Government Areas in the State. The cause of the fire had not been ascertained by the agency.

In 2020, the annual fire disaster report collated by the State Environmental Management Agency (SEMA) shows that fire ravaged farmlands twice in 2020 on the10th February, 2020 at Eemo Community, Efon Alaaye, Efon Local Government and 3rd December, 2020 at Oke Aso (Formerly Igbo-Aso) Ado Local Government in Ekiti State.

In 2021, there has been a quantum leap in the number of farm fires in the State. This could be as a result of increased activities of uncontrolled bush burning or indiscriminate hunting activities. Mr Olusegun Afolayan, head of operations at the  National Environmental Management Agency (NEMA),  blames the farmers for most of the farmland fire incidents. “When you tell them to take certain precautions, they won’t do it. The government is making some efforts to make sure that fire disasters don’t happen. We envisaged it and it is happening now,” he blurted.

Abigail Akomolafe, a 76-year old mother of ten children, shared her ordeal with weariness. She is also an indigene of Oya Quarters, Omuo-Ekiti. Vividly recounting the ordeal at her destroyed farmland, she failed to smile at the jokes her relatives threw at her to provide succor to her pain. Instead, she passionately narrated her woes. She said, “When I got to my farmland, I fell to the ground weeping profusely. For three days, I had a fever. In fact, as I speak to you, I am downcast.” She is a typical example of a hard working African woman. She spoke of how she goes to her farm before the dawn of the day only to return at dusk. “I used the proceeds from the farm to educate my children. I don’t have any other occupation apart from farming. Temporarily, I can’t work”, she complained. When asked what the possible cause of the fire was, she said, “Only God knows what caused the fire. It could be the activities of cigarette smokers, it could be hunters who put bushes to fire in order to hunt.”

“I used to eat three-square meals before the incident happened and I used to give my little children 200 naira each as pocket money to school but now I can’t do so. I told my children in the university that I would send money to them when I sell the batch of plantain that got burnt in the farm fire. I can’t send the money to them again and I have a child who is in the final year”, Modupe Omodara narrated. The middle aged business woman is a wholesale distributor of bananas to Abuja. According to her, she used to earn at least 25 thousand naira on each trip that a truck makes to Abuja. Now, she has no hope on her business.

Olu Omotosho, a Professor and Head of Department, Geography and Planning Science, Ekiti State University, Ekiti State, noted that the prevalence of this type of fire disaster is common during the dry season which occurs from the month of December to March. He stated the possible causes of wildfire in the State.

“Majority of the people are farmers and this is the time they prepare for the next farming season. It is possible that the farmers burned certain areas which might escalate and it might not be easily put under control. This is the time hunting activities are common. In an attempt to get bush meat or bush animals, some of the land might be set on fire and it might not be controlled,” he said. His opinion corroborates that of Mrs. Kemisola Laka, Director, Relief and Disaster, SEMA.  She said, “The major cause of farm fire is bush burning. Other causes are smoking and hunting and they are subsidiaries.”

Olalekan Olowoyo, an environmental economist and the executive director, Green Global Environmental Network, explained the myth surrounding soil fertility amongst local farmers. He explained, “The reason why people set bushes on fire is a result of the traditional way of farming. The farmers believe that there will be more productivity as a result of the potassium from the ashes and that it enhances the productivity of that land. But unknowingly, when you set a place in your farm on fire and you burn it, though there will be production of potassium and some other elements that are useful but invariably you have destroyed the ecosystem.”

He further explained  alternative means which farmers can deploy on their farmland. “The farmers can slash and then allow it to decay. When you allow it to decay, the decaying of that debris will have added to the organic content of that soil and then, there will be a resurfacing of other microorganisms that can enhance productivity. Another option is using machineries, tractors or any other machines you want to use just to incorporate the debris into the soil. There are a lot of other means that they can use instead of burning the bush,” he opined. With a note of finality, he noted, “We are discouraging the act, it is not good to set bushes on fire.”

 

A call to action

A victim of the Oke Ayo, Omuo-Ekiti farm fire disaster, Mr Peter Ayodele, appealed to the government to sensitise the locals to mitigate future occurrences of farm fire. He said, “The government is supposed to appeal to our people that during the dry season, farmers should not go to the farm with fire lighters like matches and other fire instigators. The hunters should be very careful.”

Mr Olalekan Olowoyo noted that the government should discourage bush burning. “One of the things I believe the government is doing but not to an expected level is constant awareness. Though, there are regulations but the regulations are not being monitored or implemented. If you burn bush, there should be a penalty but how many people have been prosecuted for bush burning? The government should educate the farmers on the consequence of bush burning. It needs monitored regulation,”

Prof. Olu Omotosho discouraged the practice of bush burning practiced by farmers and hunters. He urged environmentalists to take up the responsibility of sensitising the farmers. He said, “We can discourage farmers from bush burning by advising that after a portion of land is cleared, it should be allowed to decay. It will naturally decay if they could exercise a little patience instead of setting that portion of land on fire and wait till it decays. It will even serve as manure to the land and fertilize the soil. Hunting activities, especially hunting for bush meat, should be discouraged.”

 

The bigger picture of climate change

A random inquiry into the activities of farmers revealed that there is a high level of bush burning by farmers. In fact, this reporter was greeted by sites of bushes that are either burning or have been burnt.

Prof. Olu Omotosho revealed that these activities have an underlying effect on the climate. “The smoke released to the atmosphere automatically will affect the ozone layer within the stratosphere. The ozone layer is what is absorbing the ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet rays are just like cups but as a result of human activities, especially smoke being released to the atmosphere, leaking occurs and that is why the environment is becoming hotter”, he explained.

“What contributes to the issue of climate change is as a result of our emission. Bush burning can also cause climate change as a result of carbon monoxide and other ozone gases that are released. During bush burning, there are a lot of gases that we don’t know that we burn. We are not controlling these gases. We are saying we can holistically control these emissions. If you set a bush on fire, you are causing a huge impact on climate change,” Olalekan Olowoyo also explained. He explained further that the changing climate condition is as a result of climate change. Similarly, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, NEMA Head of Operations, Ekiti State commenting on the adverse effects of bush burning, said, “An adverse effect of climate change is abnormal rainfall. By March, the dry season will fade away and by April, it will be signaling the rainy season. Windstorms precede rain and this causes a lot of damage.”

 

SDG Goal 13:  Climate action

There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals designed to improve the living conditions of humans and promote the peaceful co-existence between the planet and man. Indiscriminate bush burning violates the SDG Goal 13.1, which aims to “strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.”