Farmers, agricultural experts, and civil society actors have condemned the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for initiating prayer and fasting sessions as a strategy to combat the country’s deepening food insecurity crisis.
A leaked internal memo from the ministry, signed by its Director of Human Resource Management, Mrs. Adedayo Modupe, instructed all staff — from senior officials to value chain officers — to observe a series of Monday prayer and fasting sessions under the theme “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development.” The events were scheduled for June 16, 23, and 30, 2025, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The directive, which quickly went viral, has provoked outrage among farmers and food security advocates who called it a “damning indictment” of the government’s inability to provide real solutions to Nigeria’s food crisis.
Critics say the move is both out-of-touch and a reflection of leadership failure at a time when farmers are battling skyrocketing costs of inputs, rampant insecurity, and mass displacement from fertile lands due to banditry and insurgent attacks.
Ministry Reacts to Backlash
In a damage-control statement released Saturday by Ezeaja Ikemefuna on behalf of the Director of Information, the ministry downplayed the leaked memo, saying the prayer and fasting initiative was not an official food security policy but rather a wellness activity initiated by the HR department.
“The prayer session is an initiative of the Human Resource Department to address the wellbeing of staff, in the same manner as monthly aerobic exercises, the establishment of a gym, and routine medical checkups,” the statement read.
It added that the sessions were also a response to “the apprehensiveness of staff” following the recent deaths of several senior ministry officials.
Farmers Call for Action, Not Symbolism
Despite the ministry’s clarification, many farmers are unconvinced and say the symbolic gesture underscores the government's failure to take meaningful steps to address Nigeria’s food insecurity.
“You cannot talk of food security when inputs are beyond the reach of real farmers,” said Sani B. Sarki, Secretary of the Yam Farmers Association in Mutun-Daya, Niger State.
“As I speak to you, a litre of chemical now costs between N5,000 and N6,000. A bag of NPK fertiliser is N45,000 while Urea goes for N37,000. Many farmers can’t afford this — they now buy fertiliser in mudus (small local measures). What we need is input subsidy and security, not fasting.”
He added that many communities in Niger State have been under siege by armed groups, with attacks continuing even in recent days, forcing countless farmers off their lands.
Another farmer, Salihu Ibrahim, described the prayer call as “the worst idea ever conceived” by the government.
“How do you expect a hungry man to fast again? The government is mocking the poor. We don’t need more prayers — we need action,” he said.
Yahaya Dogo, a displaced farmer from Allawa in Shiroro LGA, said entire communities have been abandoned due to incessant attacks and threats from terrorists.
“No one dares to return to our farms. We’ve pleaded with the government to restore security. If that doesn’t happen, no amount of prayer will plant crops or harvest food,” he said.
Ibrahim Muhammed Gando, another displaced farmer who has been out of his village for 10 years, said he longs to return to his farm more than anything else.
“My only prayer is to be back on my farm this year. We didn’t choose to become beggars on the street — it was forced on us by insecurity.”
In Benue State, one of Nigeria’s food baskets ravaged by farmer-herder conflicts, Ejembi Ode, a local farmer, acknowledged the role of prayer but stressed that it cannot substitute for government responsibility.
“We believe in prayer, yes, but action is needed. The government should deploy security to farming areas and create an enabling environment. We can't fast our way to food security,” he said.
A Symptom of Larger Dysfunction
Analysts say the prayer initiative, though framed as optional and internal, reflects a deeper crisis in Nigeria’s agricultural governance.
“It’s symbolic of a government out of touch with realities on the ground,” said one Abuja-based agricultural consultant. “Nigeria’s food insecurity stems from policy failure, insecurity, weak rural infrastructure, and lack of investment in smallholder farmers. Fasting won’t solve that.”
As food inflation continues to soar and millions face hunger, farmers and stakeholders are demanding more than divine intervention — they want a government that understands and addresses the root causes of the food crisis.
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