Rising Fuel Costs Threaten Irrigated Farming in Taraba State, Nigeria

Key summary

Farmers across Taraba State, Nigeria, warn that surging gasoline and diesel prices are driving up production costs to unsustainable levels. High expenses for fuel, fertilizer, tractor rentals, and labor, combined with low crop prices, have caused significant financial losses. Consequently, many farmers fear abandoning irrigated agriculture for the upcoming dry season, which could reduce food production. While local rice prices range from 40,000 to 43,000 Naira per 100kg, input costs like a bag of NPK fertilizer are 50,000 Naira and an hour of tractor service is 140,000 Naira. A rice farmer reported spending over 3 million Naira on production but receiving less revenue upon harvest. The situation has led some to consider switching to more profitable cash crops like soybeans or sesame, or moving away from water-intensive farming.