What’s Happening to Farmers Worldwide? Agriculture, Conflict, and Hunger in Nigeria, South Africa, and Ukraine
Exploring critical global agricultural challenges, highlighting how environmental degradation, violent conflicts, and political instability in Nigeria, South Africa, and Ukraine threat
Across the globe, farmers face mounting challenges that threaten food security and rural livelihoods. From Northwest Nigeria’s declining agricultural productivity to violent farm attacks in South Africa and the devastating impact of war on Ukrainian agriculture, the world’s farmers are under siege. This report investigates the multifaceted crises afflicting farming communities in these regions, revealing how environmental stress, conflict, and political instability converge to imperil global food supplies
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Northwest Nigeria: Environmental Stress and Insecurity
Once a key agricultural zone, Northwest Nigeria has seen a sharp decline in farm productivity over the past two decades. States like Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kano historically produced staples such as millet, sorghum, maize, and groundnuts. However, desertification, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation have drastically reduced arable land and yields. According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), average annual rainfall has decreased by nearly 20% in 30 years, disrupting traditional rain-fed farming (NIMET, 2023).
Compounding environmental challenges is the rise of violent conflicts between farmers and nomadic herders. The International Crisis Group reports over 1,500 fatalities in the Northwest from farmer-herder clashes between 2018 and 2022 (ICG, 2022). These clashes displace farming communities, disrupt planting cycles, and contribute to a pervasive sense of insecurity. As a Sokoto farmer put it in a 2023 Reuters interview, “We fear going to our farms; the violence destroys our hope.”
South Africa: Farm Attacks Amid Racial and Political Tensions
In South Africa, the agricultural sector is similarly affected by violence, but framed within a complex post-apartheid racial and political context. White commercial farmers, many of whom are Afrikaners, report frequent attacks, which they argue constitute a targeted campaign amid land reform debates. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical left-wing party, have been criticized for inflammatory rhetoric, including chants like "Kill the Boer," which many interpret as incitements to violence (BBC, 2023).
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and independent analysts reject the term "white genocide," emphasizing that violence affects all racial groups and is rooted in broader crime and inequality issues. Yet, the ongoing attacks generate international concern and have led to refugee programs for threatened farmers, notably supported by figures like Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump (BBC, 2025).
Meanwhile, xenophobic violence against Nigerian immigrants and other foreigners in South Africa has heightened social tensions, further destabilizing rural and urban agricultural communities alike (Vanguard, 2023).
Ukraine: War’s Devastating Impact on Agriculture and Global Food Security
Ukraine, known as Europe’s breadbasket, has endured profound disruptions since the Russian invasion began in 2022. The war has decimated farming infrastructure, displaced millions of rural inhabitants, and hindered planting and harvesting cycles. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ukraine’s grain exports fell by over 50% in 2022, triggering global food price spikes and exacerbating hunger in vulnerable regions (FAO, 2023).
Ukrainian farmers face not only the immediate dangers of conflict but also long-term challenges of land mines, damaged irrigation systems, and disrupted supply chains. The global repercussions of Ukraine’s agricultural crisis highlight the interconnectedness of farming security and world hunger.
Juxtaposing the Global Agricultural Crises
Despite vastly different contexts, the situations in Northwest Nigeria, South Africa, and Ukraine share common threads:
Environmental Challenges: Northwest Nigeria’s desertification mirrors Ukraine’s climate vulnerabilities and South Africa’s drought-prone regions.
Violence and Insecurity: Conflicts disrupt farming cycles—whether from ethnic clashes in Nigeria, politically charged farm attacks in South Africa, or full-scale war in Ukraine.
Political and Social Tensions: Land rights debates in South Africa, farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, and geopolitical warfare in Ukraine each underscore how politics directly impacts agricultural stability.
Implications for Hunger: Declining production and disrupted supply chains in these regions contribute to rising global food insecurity, with millions at risk of hunger.
As Professor Abubakar Suleiman from Ahmadu Bello University notes:
"Farmers worldwide are the frontline victims of crises that transcend borders, demanding global attention to safeguard food security and peace." (Premium Times, 2022).
Insecurity and War: Unseen Enemies of Global Agriculture
Across diverse regions, from the dusty fields of Northwest Nigeria to the war-torn plains of Ukraine and the fraught farms of South Africa, insecurity and violent conflict are becoming some of the most formidable obstacles facing farmers. These threats not only disrupt local food production but also ripple outwards, contributing to global hunger and instability.
In Northwest Nigeria, decades-old tensions between nomadic Fulani herders and sedentary farmers have escalated into violent clashes that have transformed rural communities into conflict zones. These clashes have resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, with farming families abandoning their land out of fear. The disruption is more than physical; it undermines trust and social cohesion in communities where agriculture once flourished. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) notes that, in addition to climatic stressors such as desertification and reduced rainfall, the fear of violence has become a principal factor preventing farmers from cultivating their fields. One farmer from Sokoto shared in a 2023 Reuters interview, “We cannot tend our crops when we fear being attacked or kidnapped. This violence destroys our lives and food security.” The persistent insecurity not only halts planting and harvesting but also hinders access to markets, credit, and agricultural inputs — essential ingredients for a thriving farming economy.
Meanwhile, South Africa presents a unique but equally troubling case. Since the fall of apartheid, farm attacks have intensified, disproportionately targeting white commercial farmers and igniting fears of racially motivated violence. This violence takes place against the backdrop of heated political rhetoric and contentious land reform debates. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical political party, has drawn criticism for inflammatory chants like "Kill the Boer," which many interpret as calls for violent action. However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and many independent analysts caution against simplifying this violence as racial genocide. They emphasize that farm attacks occur across racial lines and reflect broader issues of crime and social inequality. Still, the fear persists. Many farmers live under constant threat, and some have sought refuge abroad, a trend supported by international figures such as Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Compounding this, xenophobic violence against Nigerian immigrants in South Africa has heightened social tensions, further destabilizing rural communities and agricultural productivity. These overlapping conflicts highlight how political and ethnic tensions intersect to undermine farming and food security in the region.
Perhaps the starkest example of the devastating impact of insecurity on agriculture is Ukraine. Known as Europe’s breadbasket, Ukraine’s farming sector has suffered unprecedented destruction since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in early 2022. The war has obliterated farmland, irrigation systems, and storage facilities, while millions of rural residents have fled their homes or remain trapped in conflict zones. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that Ukraine’s grain exports fell by more than 50% in 2022, a disruption that sent shockwaves through global food markets. The damage is not only immediate; vast areas of land remain littered with unexploded ordnance and landmines, posing grave risks to farmers seeking to resume planting and harvesting. The conflict vividly demonstrates how armed violence can destroy the very foundations of food production, with consequences that reverberate far beyond national borders, exacerbating hunger in regions dependent on affordable grain imports.
These crises, though disparate in geography and causes, reveal a common pattern: insecurity and violence act as invisible enemies to agriculture. They disrupt the delicate timing of planting and harvesting, destroy critical infrastructure, displace farmers, and destroy trust in rural communities. In the absence of safety, investments in seeds, machinery, and training lose value, and farming livelihoods collapse. The consequences extend beyond local boundaries, triggering supply chain interruptions and soaring food prices globally. Vulnerable populations — often the very ones least responsible for these conflicts — bear the brunt of rising hunger and malnutrition.
As Professor Abubakar Suleiman of Ahmadu Bello University succinctly puts it, “Farmers are frontline victims of violence worldwide. Protecting their safety is as critical as investing in better seeds or irrigation if we hope to secure food for the future” (Premium Times, 2022). His insight underscores a vital truth: ensuring global food security depends as much on peace and stability as on technological innovation or policy reform.
Without concerted attention to the root causes of insecurity and violence, and without prioritizing the protection of farmers and their communities, the looming global hunger crisis will only deepen. The plight of farmers in Northwest Nigeria, South Africa, and Ukraine serves as a stark reminder that agriculture — the backbone of human survival — cannot thrive in the shadows of conflict.
The hardships faced by farmers in Northwest Nigeria, South Africa, and Ukraine reveal a disturbing global pattern where environmental degradation, violence, and political instability converge to threaten food production. These intertwined crises deepen hunger risks not only locally but internationally, emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated responses that protect farming communities as essential pillars of global stability.
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