As the rains begin to soak the earth across Bauchi State, a window of opportunity opens—an annual chance to reshape the state’s economy through agriculture. But this year, that opportunity stands precariously against a backdrop of worsening insecurity in Alkaleri, Ningi, and Toro local government areas.
The choice before the Bauchi State Government is clear: respond passively and risk deeper poverty, food insecurity, and joblessness, or act boldly to turn adversity into sustainable progress. – this is a call for valiant leadership. The rains do not wait. Neither should we.
Yes, security cannot be an excuse, it must be addressed head-on as the security situation in parts of Bauchi is real and worsening. Bandit attacks, kidnappings, and rural violence are beginning to drive farmers from their lands and discouraging seasonal migration critical for farm labour. But the solution is not to stall—it is to act.
The Bauchi State Government should immediately prioritise the protection of agricultural communities in Alkaleri, Ningi, Toro and as well as other parts of the state. This means deploying well-coordinated local security outfits like the recently revived vigilante groups, enhancing intelligence gathering through community engagement, and lobbying the federal government for sustained police and military presence in these hotspots. Farmers cannot plant in fear; without confidence in their safety, they will not return to the fields. If we lose this season, we lose more than crops—we lose livelihoods, dignity, and a key part of our economy.
Agriculture employs over 70 per cent of Bauchi’s population, it is our greatest asset, yet for decades, it has remained underfunded, under-mechanised, and largely ignored in strategic planning. That must change now. With the rains returning, Bauchi State should immediately roll out a State Wide Emergency Rainy Season Agricultural Plan, with three urgent pillars:
Rapid input distribution: Fertilizers, improved seeds, herbicides, and low-cost irrigation tools must be made available to farmers now—not in July, not in September. Delay means diminished yields and hunger.
Extension and mechanisation support: The Bauchi State House of Assembly’s commendable move to absorb trained agricultural extension workers must be fast-tracked. Farmers need guidance on climate-smart agriculture, soil conservation, and pest control. Simultaneously, the deployment of appropriate scale mechanisation tools fit for the terrain of our smallholder dominated landscape must replace the failed top-down machine allocation programmes of the past.
Cluster based cooperative farming: Instead of leaving farmers scattered and vulnerable, Bauchi should champion a cluster-based cooperative model that enables pooled resources, easier access to markets, and shared use of equipment and storage facilities. With strong community governance, such clusters can resist both insecurity and market shocks.
Rather than use security challenges as an excuse, the state should lead with innovation. Digital mapping of farmlands, drone surveillance in high-risk areas, and mobile-based insurance for crops and livestock are no longer futuristic—they are feasible and available through public-private partnerships.
With over 60 per cent of the unemployed population under the age of 35, our growing youth population is not a burden, no, it is a potential asset. It should be targeted as leaders and not as beneficiaries. Any plan that excludes them from agriculture is a plan destined to fail. The government should establish Youth Farm Incubation Hubs in each senatorial zone, with access to land, starter packs, and mentorship. These can be anchored by existing tertiary institutions like the College of Agriculture in Bauchi, Sa’adu Zungur University, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University etc.
While women smallholder farmers, who produce a substantial share of the food in the state should be granted access to land, finance, and extension services, with women-led cooperatives that receive direct subsidies and tailored capacity-building programmes. Post-harvest support—such as mobile dryers, solar-powered cold storage, and micro-credit for transportation—will dramatically improve their income and reduce food waste.
There should be investment in storage and market access not just increasing production. A significant portion of food grown in Bauchi never reaches the market due to poor rural roads, lack of preservation facilities, and price manipulation by middlemen. The state must take decisive action.
As a priority, creating a semi-autonomous entity charged with coordinating rural feeder road repairs, linking producers directly to aggregators, and providing real-time market price data to farmers via mobile platforms will be noble. It can be called Bauchi Agricultural Logistics and Marketing Agency (BALMA) – with storage infrastructure, such as community silos and processing centres in high-production areas. This isn’t merely about preserving crops—it’s about preserving the economic dignity of rural families.
The government should attract donor agencies and development partners to co-invest in conflict-sensitive agricultural interventions. Bauchi’s history of peaceful coexistence and agricultural diversity makes it an ideal candidate for long-term agricultural transformation if the right political will is shown.
As the rains fall, so too does the clock tick. Food insecurity is both a threat and a preventable crisis. Employment for our youth is not a favour – it is a necessity. Security challenges are real, but they are not insurmountable. What the state need now is not a series of press releases or photo-ops distributing token seedlings. The state need a war-room approach – coordinated, data-driven, inclusive, and unrelenting.
Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration has shown signs of ambition – this is the moment to convert that ambition into lasting impact. Let the rainwater not be a symbol of missed opportunity, but a catalyst for change.
If Bauchi acts now, with urgency, clarity, and courage – then the state will not just survive this season, it will emerge stronger, feeding its population and beyond, employing thousands, and proving that progress is possible even in the storm.
