|
Immigration and
Internal Population Displacement: Changing Pattern of Food Growth
and Distribution Trends in Nigeria, 1999 – 2005
Francis Agbali, Department of Food Science
and Technology, University of Agriculture, Makurdi
International immigration and the internal
migration in Nigeria impact on the changing pattern of food distribution
in Nigeria. As a result Nigerian food processing companies and other
auxiliary industries, such as food packing are capitalizing on the
vast opportunities for indigenous foods and delicacies outside Nigeria,
to exploit markets n Europe and America. Thus, with Nigerians diffusing
across global spaces there is equally a demand for their indigenous
food products. These demands have translated into local and international
entrepreneurial opportunities for both Nigerians and Nigerian immigrants.
Thus items such as Fufu, Yam Powder, alcoholic and other beverages
specific to Nigeria, such as Star and Gulder beers are marketed within
African stores in Europe, America, Asia, and elsewhere outside of Nigeria.
With the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999, there is an increased
emphasis upon transiting from a monolithic oil-based economy into exploring
viable alternatives especially in the areas of agricultural production.
Such emphases are significant as they ensure greater participation
in the agrarian sector, and create vast employment opportunities. These
changing configurations have salience for the production of food growth
to meet the domestic consumption, as well as the international markets
demands. International events has also induced the immigration of food
producers into Nigeria, competitively offering new vistas of opportunities
of enhancing mechanized food productions in boosting the present level
of food growth. Thus, with the Zimbabwean land grabbing policies and
violence directed against white farmers, the Nigerian government under “the
cassava initiative” took advantage to offer them sanctuary in
Nigeria. Thus, many have relocated to Nigeria to begin their lives
anew and add to the food production level. Hence, today many are now
resettled on arable and fertile lands provided to them by the Federal
Government.
Internally, the entrenchment of the Islamic legal code, the Sharia
Law since 2000 has also affected farming activities and food distribution
in Nigeria. As a result of this law in many northern states, many inhabitants
relocated to other farming destinations, especially in the middle belt,
to carry out food production. Equally, many businesses in northern
Nigeria dealing with alcoholic beverages and pork based snacks and
food closed, and some relocated. Such changing trends in affecting
human mobility have significant implications for food production and
marketing.
Thus, this paper attempts to examine the phenomena and chronicle the
nature of the development, while proffering certain suggestions with
implications for policy formulations.
|
