Rice farmers in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga Local Government Areas of Kebbi State have appealed to the State Government to come to their aid after floodwaters from the River Niger destroyed all their rice farms.
Hundreds of farmers lost their produce, estimated to be worth millions of naira, due to the devastating floods that ravaged their farmlands.
The farmers lamented that the situation has left them in a critical condition, as many had invested heavily in their farms with the hope of a good harvest. That hope is now in jeopardy.
Shuaibu Gidanbindigawa, one of the affected farmers, described the situation as strange and unprecedented.
“The water from the River Niger first took over our farms, and now the rains have washed away everything,” he said.
“God has brought this challenge, and we have already lost everything. For the farmers of Shanga, Yauri, and Ngaski, all I can say is may God intervene in our situation,” Shuaibu added.
He made a passionate appeal to political leaders to take urgent action: “I’m calling on our politicians to come to our aid. Some farmers who used to harvest over 100 bags of rice now have nothing. The water has taken over everything.”
“This is not about coming to sympathize with us; we need real support. Some of us invested all our wealth in these farms. Please, Governor, your people are in desperate need of help,” he pleaded.
Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga are among the key rice-producing areas in Kebbi State and have been major contributors to the state’s rice value chain. The flood has now put their livelihoods and food production in serious jeopardy.
(Channels)
