Anambra Farmers Warn Of Food Crisis As Roads Collapse Before Harvest

Farmers in Anam, a major agricultural hub in Anambra West, are sounding the alarm over crumbling road infrastructure just weeks before the peak harvest season and the community’s annual Otee Anam New Yam Festival.

With only 37 days to go, the Okpokolo Ruling Council has raised urgent concerns that poor access roads may lead to massive food spoilage, crop losses, and an even deeper food supply problem across the South East and beyond. Farmers say they are unable to transport yams, cassava, vegetables, and rice to urban markets due to inaccessible routes.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, the council’s chairman, Chief Udorji Okeke Ezeagbor, called on both the federal and state governments to act quickly. He said the roads connecting their community to city centres have collapsed, turning basic food transportation into a logistical nightmare.

The frustration is widespread among locals, many of whom have worked their land for decades with little support from authorities. Veteran farmer Chief Okechukwu Nnoka, who has farmed for over 50 years, criticised successive governments for neglecting the backbone of the country’s food system. He said Nigeria’s food scarcity problems could be resolved if leaders paid attention to farmers’ needs.

Experts warn that if the roads remain impassable, harvested crops will be stranded in the villages. This will crash farm gate prices, hurt farmer income, and disrupt the flow of food to cities. The resulting losses could discourage planting next season, drive up food costs, and cause more rural-urban migration as farming becomes unsustainable.

The farmers believe the disconnect between government promises and actual help is growing more dangerous by the day. Despite contributing to national food production, they say their efforts are undermined by roads that were promised but never built or repaired.

The community is appealing directly to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to fix key state roads and is also calling on federal authorities to act on highways under their control. They acknowledge that some of the issues may not have started under the current administration, but insist the government must act now to avoid deeper problems.

Their message is clear: farmers have kept their end of the bargain by growing food even through hardship and insecurity. Now, they want government to clear the roads—literally—so that their crops don’t rot before they ever reach a buyer.

The appeal is more than just a request for road repairs; it’s a warning of a looming crisis that could shake both rural livelihoods and urban food security if ignored.