Ebonyi Rice Farmers Raise Alarm Over Flood Threat To Harvest

Rice farmers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, have voiced serious concerns over continuous rainfall, which they say is endangering the 2025 rice production and harvest.

Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, the farmers reported that persistent downpours have caused widespread flooding and waterlogging, damaging crops across key rice-growing areas in the state.

Mr. Emmanuel Nwali, a leading rice farmer in Izzi Local Government Area, said nearly half of his farmland had been submerged by floodwaters.

“The floods have destroyed most of our efforts. What remains is already turning yellow,” he lamented. “It has rained almost daily since mid-July. We may not see a good harvest this season.”

Mr. Chinedu Okenwa also reported losing his nursery beds to flooding, which has prevented him from transplanting seedlings.

“I don’t know how to recover from this loss,” he said. “With the nursery destroyed, we are staring at poor yields, which could lead to a sharp rise in the price of local rice next year.”

Similarly, commercial rice farmer Mr. Aloysius Njoku expressed concern that the situation could have a ripple effect on food availability and cost.

“The flooding has been devastating. If nothing is done, rice will become scarce and expensive. Everyone will feel the impact,” he warned.

Mrs. Sylvia Elom, a civil servant who also engages in subsistence rice farming, emphasized the broader economic implications for rural households.

“Rice farming is the main source of income for many families here. When floods wipe out our farms, it leaves us with nothing,” she said.

Agricultural expert Dr. Paul Onwe explained that rice is particularly vulnerable to prolonged flooding, especially in swampy areas.

“Heavy rainfall leads to stunted growth, nutrient loss, and fungal diseases in submerged fields,” Onwe noted. He urged farmers to monitor weather forecasts and heed early warning advisories provided by the Federal Government at the start of each farming season.

A source within the Ebonyi State Ministry of Agriculture, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the government is monitoring the situation and compiling data from affected communities to determine an appropriate response.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), in its 2025 seasonal forecast, had previously listed Ebonyi as one of the states likely to face heavy flooding during the rainy season.

Ebonyi remains one of Nigeria’s top rice-producing states, and traders in Abakaliki’s major markets are already expressing fears that reduced harvests could drive up prices in the months ahead.