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Farmers, experts condemn agric ministry’s call for prayers, fasting
Farmers, experts and other stakeholders have flayed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s calls for prayers and fasting to guarantee the successful realization of national food security objectives.
A leaked memo, in which the ministry has allegedly come up with a series of solemn prayer sessions for divine intervention, ignites anger and fierce reactions from members of the public and online community.
In the leaked internal communication issued by the Director of Human Resource Management, Mrs Adedayo Modupe, all senior and junior staff members, including directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, value chain desk officers, and other personnel, have been formally instructed to be part of collective spiritual exercise.
The sessions, entitled “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development”, were structured to foster a holistic approach to addressing food security challenges through a synergy of human effort and divine providence.
These prayer sessions were scheduled for three days (Mondays), specifically on June 16th, 23rd, and 30th, 2025, in the conference hall “B” of the ministry’s headquarters located in Area 11, Abuja.
The ministry enjoined all participants to observe a state of fasting during these sessions, as it is believed that fasting enhances spiritual receptivity and strengthens the collective resolve to achieve food availability and agricultural sustainability goals across Nigeria.
The initiative suggested the ministry’s understanding of the multifaceted nature of food security challenges and that a comprehensive strategy must encompass both empirical and spiritual dimensions.
Hours after the issue went viral in the media and social media space, the ministry said the leaked memo asking members of staff to attend fasting and prayer sessions for attainment of food security was a human resource department initiative to address staff well-being.
A statement from the ministry signed by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, on behalf of the Director of Information in Abuja Saturday stressed that it was not “an official policy by the ministry to address agriculture and food security issues in the country.”
The statement stated that it was “in response to the yearnings of staff who are apprehensive following the death of some of their colleagues in recent times.”
“The ministry’s attention is drawn to the internal circular of the Human Resource Management Department being circulated by online media. In this regard, the ministry wishes to inform (the public) that the prayer session is an initiative of the human resource department to address the wellbeing of the staff just as the already existing monthly aerobic exercise and establishment of the gymnasium in the ministry are for physical fitness as the regular medical check-up of staff is for their health.
“The prayer was to address the apprehensiveness of staff over the recent untimely and successive death of management staff of the ministry. The staff also deem it not out of place to pray for the country, hence the theme of the prayer sessions is divine intervention for protection and national development,” the statement read in part.
Resort to prayers damning, self-indicting – Farmers, others
Farmers and other stakeholders have called the action damning, self-indicting and the failure of the government to meet the needs of Nigerians.
They want prices of inputs to crash, access to tractors at affordable cost and provision of security to communities being deserted as a result of bandits and insurgents to enable the victims return to engage in farming.
Sani B. Sarki, the Secretary, Yam Farmers Association, Mutun-Daya, Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, said the government needs to do the right things including crashing of farm inputs and provision of adequate security in areas suffering from bandits’ attacks to achieve food security.
“You cannot talk of food security when inputs are beyond the reach of real farmers. Government should make sure prices of inputs come down. As I speak with you, a litre of chemical is now between N5, 000 and N6, 000. A bag of NPK fertiliser is now N45,000 while a bag of Urea is N37, 000. It is better if the government ensures that prices of inputs crash because many farmers cannot afford to buy bags of fertiliser, they are buying in mudus. That is first.
“Secondly, achieving food security should begin with the crashing of inputs and provision of security. Even on Friday, there were attacks on farming communities in Munya LGA. So, communities are still battling with insecurity and many of them have been out of farming for the past five years or more. So, we are appealing to the government to address insecurity permanently because vast farm lands have been abandoned due to insecurity,” he said.
A farmer, Salihu Ibrahim, said calling for national prayers to achieve food security was the worst idea ever conceived by the government in Nigeria.
“How do you expect a hungry man to start fasting again? The federal government should not frustrate us more; we have had enough. Real farmers don’t get support from the government year-in year-out. We struggle to buy inputs without the government supporting us. Government knows what to do but refuses to do it. We don’t need prayers, the ministry should use that money and time for something more productive and stop mocking the poor farmers,” he said.
Yahaya Dogo, a displaced farmer from Allawa in Shiroro LGA, said they were anxious to return to farm but stopped by insecurity.
“Our farmlands have been abandoned since we fled. No one dares to return. Even security officials recently confirmed hearing explosions in the area. Without security, who would risk going back?
“We have pleaded with the government multiple times to restore security so we can return home. In our villages, even with hardship, we don’t lack food because nearly everyone is a farmer,” he said.
Another displaced farmer, Ibrahim Muhammed Gando, said being away from his farm for ten years has been extremely challenging for him.
“What I long for the most right now is to return home—to my village and to my farm.
“I miss my village, and my farm. My only prayer is to be back on my farm this year. We were forced into begging on the streets because we had no other option,” he said.
Ejembi Ode, a farmer in Benue, said though they can’t undermine the power of prayer, there is also the place of action.
“So, we expect action, station security to safeguard farmers so they can work in their farms to produce food for Nigerians. That is what they should be doing as their conventional role and not misplaced priority,” Ode said.
