Farmers warn that beloved food staples may soon be out of reach for many: 'The plants do not grow well'

Nigerian farmers are struggling to make a living and produce crops because of extreme heat and prolonged droughts.

The planet's steadily warming climate is exacerbating the issue of food insecurity in Africa's most populous country. 

What's happening?

As the Associated Press reported, farming in Northern Nigeria is becoming increasingly challenging because there isn't enough water for crops. Small bodies of water in the region are drying up, and the worsening trend is severely impacting farmers. 

The lack of water is attributed to changing climate conditions, deforestation, and the over-extraction of the vital resource. 

Wells are no longer sustainable water sources, and farmers can't afford to pump groundwater with the reduced incomes they earn from their businesses. They are faced with low yields, while the government has yet to develop infrastructure to source water in the changing climate. 

"The plants do not grow well as it did," one local farmer, Nasiru Bello, shared.

Why are farming challenges significant?

This region grows most of what Nigerians eat, so food availability declines result in price increases. Nigeria's population will likely reach 400 million by 2050, so food security is a major concern. 

Agriculture Minister Aliyu Abdullahi said that many farmers can barely get half of the harvested crops they once did. Many of Nigeria's natural landscapes have been lost to deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures. 

Beyond Nigeria, the global food supply is at risk, causing pantry staples such as maize and millet to become unavailable or unaffordable. There is also a huge unmet need for farmers to be educated in sustainable farming practices that may differ from traditional methods for the sake of their livelihoods and contributions to the food supply. 

What's being done about climate-related agricultural issues? 

Fortunately, there are sustainable ways to grow crops despite the increasingly hot and dry climate. 

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For example, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has encouraged drip irrigation, which slowly delivers water to crops' roots rather than flooding entire fields. Farmers in other climate-challenged places such as Cambodia have been digging storage ponds to manage water resources in preparation for future droughts. 

Scientists have been working to develop ultra-resilient, gene-edited crops that can withstand droughts. Drought-resistant crops including sorghum have shown promise for helping farmers adapt their businesses. 

Even if you don't farm for a living, you can learn to grow your own food to make household groceries more affordable and become self-sufficient in the face of rising prices and limited food availability. With knowledge of food scarcity issues and a little advance planning, you can shop smarter at the grocery store to save money and conserve limited resources.

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