A crop disease has all but halted tomato production in several of Nigeria's key growing regions. Though a recent phenomenon, the effects of the pest have been significant on both tomato production and the Nigerian economy.“We went from having an abundance of tomatoes at most markets to where farmers cannot even bring tomatoes to market,” said Ogirinye Innocent of the Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture in Nigeria. “Prices went from 1,800 nairas per kilogram to about 38,000 nairas per kilogram.” High prices would normally be good for tomato producers, but those growers largely can't get into their fields. The few handlers that have tomatoes can get good prices, but most growers aren't that fortunate.
It's going to be a tough recovery for the nation's farmers because production in affected areas can't recommence until the pest has been eradicated. Due to the swift manner in which the disease is transmitted among plants, any efforts to replant a field before the pest is exterminated would be fruitless.
“If you introduce more tomatoes into farms without eradicating the pest, you're just feeding the pest,” noted Innocent.
The good news is that the government is working hard to deal with the problem. A recovery timeline is contingent on when the disease is contained, so swift action is necessary. Innocent has been told the government is spraying fields in order to halt the pest and studies are being conducted on how best to control the disease. After that's done, he's optimistic the government will also help tomato farmers recover.
“The government many not compensate growers with cash, but they could provide access to mechanization or improved tomato seedlings, among other incentives, to have a quick recovery,” said Innocent. “This has had a big negative impact on us, but, with the help of the government, we will come out of this situation stronger – I can assure you that.”
For more information:
Ogirinye Innocent
Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (YISA)-Nigeria
Tel: +2348060204892
Email: info@yisanigeria.org, yisanigeria@gmail.com , ogirinye@yisanigeria.org
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