By Isaac Atunlute
Recently, when floods swept through some parts of Kebbi State, they left behind enormous havoc.
Rice farms worth millions of naira, key family household income and state interest in the Nigerian rice value chain were submerged within days.
The floods, which were triggered by heavy rainfall and an overflow of the River Niger, underscored a recurring challenge in one of Nigeria’s most productive rice belts—the vulnerability of smallholders to climate shocks.
Although the disaster showed just how fragile the farming systems along the Niger River are, it also revived discussions about solutions that already exist but remain underutilised.
Among those is the residual moisture crop production programme that was introduced by the state’s ministry of agriculture in the wake of previous floods.
The initiative supports farmers in cultivating crops like potatoes, maize, and cassava using the moisture left behind when floodwaters recede.
With free seeds, fertilisers,and other inputs, more than 16,000 farmers had previously used this system to bounce back quickly from similar disasters.
If scaled further, it can be an example to be followed in post-flood recovery in flood-prone areas in Nigeria.
Infrastructure has also proven fruitful in Kebbi. The Zauro Polder Project, protected by a 7.5-kilometre embankment built decades ago, remained largely unaffected even while surrounding farms were submerged.
This old but effective flood-protection system shows the importance of investing in irrigation and embankment projects. Replicating such defences in other high-risk areas could dramatically reduce future losses.
Community-based planning has been another avenue. The Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission has, in the past, engaged Kebbi stakeholders to develop localised flood-response strategies.
Though still limited, the consultations demonstrate that early warning systems, adherence to building codes, and land-use planning can significantly mitigate harm if adopted more widely.
Kebbi also sits on the edge of Nigeria’s Great Green Wall initiative, an ongoing reforestation scheme aimed at forest restoration on degraded land and civilised management of climate threats.
While not new, replicating and scaling up such ecosystem-based interventions can prevent soil erosion and slow flood flows before they reach susceptible agricultural fields.
These types of interventions are not entirely new; they have been tested in Kebbi and elsewhere with mixed results, but their magic lies in replicating and scaling adequately.
While flooding water rises, it does not just sweep away crops; it disrupts a value chain that feeds millions and supports the livelihood of families whose very being is dependent on the output of the coming season.
The National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services reported that the 2022 floods had caused an estimated ₦700 billion in losses in agriculture in terms of destroyed crops and livestock.
Even so, history demonstrates that recovery is possible. The Zauro Polder’s success in avoiding flood damage stands as proof that carefully planned infrastructure can outlast decades of climate volatility.
What the floods in Kebbi highlight is that agriculture goes beyond planting and harvesting; it is a negotiation with rivers, weather, and the larger environment that sustains the state’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s rice baskets.
