Abstract:
The contribution of agriculture to the growth and development of a nation cannot be undervalued. However, the production of food crops in Nigeria is seriously threatened by ongoing conflicts between farmers and herders, banditry, kidnapping, Boko haram insurgency, inflation, climate change, and biotic factors, particularly in the northeastern part of the country. Plant Parasitic Nematode (PPN), a soil microorganism is considered to be one of the most devastating factors threating agricultural production in the region. The impact of damage caused by PPN is estimated to be about at 8.8 – 14 % annually, which is responsible for crop losses estimated to be in excess of 173 billion USD worldwide. This figure will most likely increase if appropriate management and control measures are not taken. Therefore, it is expedient that farmers within the northeastern region of Nigeria take precautionary management measures before, during and sometime after each farming season in order to curtail the problem of damage cause by PPN.
Description:
Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe are the six states that make up the North East, one of Nigeria's largest geopolitical zones. It occupies over one-third of the country's total territory and is both a political and geographic region (Akinyemi et al., 2022). These states are recognized for their agricultural and livestock rearing practices, which have a significant positive economic impact on both the local economy and the nation as a whole (Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, 2021). However, boko haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, farmers’ herders conflict, inflation, impact of climate and biotic factors continue to threating agricultural production in the region leading to an increase hunger crisis in Nigeria at large, with 26.5 million people across the country projected to serious hunger (FAO, 2021). Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is experiencing an increase in food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition these are the three of the world's most pressing issues according to Alao et al. (2020). The world's progress toward reaching Sustainable Development Goal-2 zero hunger by 2030 has slowed down due to a number of main issues, including economic recessions, conflicts resulting from climatic variability, and biotic variables (Agbiboa, 2015). The fundamental factors of growing inequality and poverty increase the frequency and intensity of these drivers (FAO, 2021).
