The National President of Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN), Chief Daniel Okafor has said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had requested the data of potato farmers for support under the Anchor Borrowers’ Program (ABP).
Chief Okafor said that POFAN would commence compulsory training for all its members on how to utilise loans from ABP so that loan repayment would not be a problem in the future.
Speaking with Tribune Online on Tuesday, Chief Okafor said a potato vine multiplication centre would be unveiled in Abuja as part of efforts to get the farmers ready for CBN intervention.
“CBN has not intervened in potato, but they are on it, for past years, we have been struggling to make sure that potato is one of the value chains for the Anchor Borrowers Program.
“We are compiling data of potato farmers alongside their locations so that we can submit to the (CBN) because they were asking for it, but none of my farmers has been given loans.
“Recently we held a program to outline our target for the next ten years, which is the best thing that can happen to farmers, by next week, we will launch a book on potato training, also, our activities for the rest of the year will be unveiled.
“We are also opening a multiplication centre in Lugbe, Abuja where we will train farmers on potato vine multiplication.
“We have agreed not to allow POFAN farmers to receive loans and will not be able to pay back without undergoing training.
“In fact, any farmer that has not been trained will not be given an ABP loan or any loan. The training will be segmented into three major languages in Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking on some of the challenges confronting potato farmers in Nigeria, the POFAN President said thieves, kidnappers, criminal herdsmen and climatic conditions have been one of the major challenges of potato farmers.
“Our challenges are enormous, recently I travelled to Imo State just to find out that thieves have stolen all the potatoes I planted on six hectares of land.
“Farmers/herders crisis is one of the challenges facing, whenever you go to your farm, you are not sure of your safety.
“I have abandoned my farm in Kuje because of kidnappers because they have kidnapped about 20 persons that I know, so I had to abandon the farm.
“Another challenge we are facing is climate change, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has not been doing their job very well, we want them to work with us so that we can get their messages across to farmers,” he said.
Furthermore, he called on the government to make available free farm inputs or subsidized inputs for farmers and also reduce the interest rate on loans for farmers at 5 per cent.
“Lack of farm inputs is another challenge, the government should distribute free inputs or subsidized inputs to farmers, but they are not doing it, also, the loans they are giving to farmers should be at a 5 per cent interest rate,” he added.
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