Farmers say they realise that the people stealing their produce are doing so only because they are starving and it’s the only way they can feed their families.
Starving thieves, insects and other pests are hampering farmers from harvesting their crops.
Certain crops, such as millet, should be harvested only in late October or November when they’ve been exposed to one or two months of sun – but the thieves, insects and pests have forced some farmers to start harvesting now.
This year’s rainy season was difficult for farmers. There were shortages in some areas, floods in others. Some areas experienced both. Now, after the fluctuations in the rainfall, the farmers have waited for months for harvesting time and they don’t want to waste the huge amounts of money, energy and time spent on the crops. They certainly can’t afford their hard work to end up in the hands of thieves or devoured by insects.
Farmers said insects could destroy their crops within an extremely short time. Some said they had decided to harvest their produce even though it was a bit early rather than take the chance of pests devouring their crops or people stealing their food.
They said that for crops to be harvested at the right time, they would have to keep a watch on their farmlands all day and night.
Modu Jalo, a farmer from Fariya, said: “I have started harvesting my farm produce already, especially the maize and millet crops. Despite the erratic rainfall, I am lucky and have a relatively bumper harvest this year.
“Other farmers are also harvesting before they would normally do so. Our major challenges are the insects and other pests that are preying on our crops. But unknown people also steal our crops in daylight or at night – whenever there is no one around the farm.
“It is sad really because the thieves are stealing our crops because they don’t have any alternative. They are not ‘bad’ people. They steal our crops because they are starving and need to feed their families.”
Jalo said farmers had caught a man stealing their crops.
“He told us that he had no other option. He said he was stealing only because he was desperate and needed to feed his family. He said our plants are keeping his family from starvation.
“Most of the farmers decided to start harvesting now rather than lose their crops. I depend solely on this farm. It is my only means of making a living and feeding my family. I know the hardships and starvation of our people. Prices of commodities were already high before the fuel subsidy was halted. Now the situation has worsened. I understand why people are stealing our produce. All the farmers have noticed that there have been many more thefts of produce than in previous years. It has definitely increased.
“Our choice is simple. Either you watch over your farmland throughout the day and night, or you harvest what you can and take it home. If you don’t watch your land all the time, you will be left empty-handed and all your efforts and hard work will be in vain.”
Jalo said a fellow farmer called Musa, whose farmland adjoined his land, and he had decided to watch over each other’s land.
“We each take 12-hour shifts. One of us takes the early shift from 7am to 7pm and the other takes over from 7pm to 7am. At present I am doing the day shift and Musa is doing the night shift. This is the only way we can prevent people from stealing our produce.”
He said if it wasn’t for the thieving and the insects and pests, they could have waited until late October or even November to harvest their crops.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that so we have begun harvesting our produce and taking it home rather.”
Babagana Mustapha, a hired labourer, said: “This is not the right time to harvest the crops, especially millet which, ideally, likes to be in the sun for one to two months to fully mature. Farmers pay me to watch over their crops. It’s a good solution because I get money and the farmer does not have to spend all his time struggling to safeguard his crops.”
Dunoma Mustapha, a farmer from Fariya, said: “I planted grains and vegetables this year. I can only praise my Lord no matter the situation. I have not harvested my crops and that’s why I stay on my land day and night. I am not leaving my spot, as you can see. I spend the night here because if I know that if I am not around, unknown people will come and take away my crops.”
FALMATA MOHAMMED ALI
