Cotton farmers urge govs to provide land for cluster farming

Cotton farmers, under the auspices of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), have urged state governments to help boost cotton farming in the country by providing hectares of land that will engender cluster farming of cotton.

Noting that low production of cotton over the years was due to the large involvement of smallholder farmers in cotton farming, they noted that the creating of farm villages for cluster farming of cotton will not only improve yield but also enable cotton farmers tackle herdsmen invasions.

National Public Relations Officer, NACOTAN, Mr Abdullahi Kasali led this call during the flag off of cotton recovery from beneficiaries of the CBN/NACOTAN 2019/2020 Anchor Borrower Programme for Oyo state, held in Oyo town.

Speaking, Abdullahi noted that the nation continued to fail to live up to its cotton production potential owing to lack of serious policy by government to stablise the sector as well as the scattered nature of smallholder cotton farms in the country.

He held that state governments of the region should understand cluster farming will engender investors to set up ginneries for cotton processing close to cotton farms, which would, in turn, create employment opportunities.

Over the years, Abdullahi decried states of the South West failed to produce 500 tons of cotton yearly, in spite of the region having requisite land mass and human resources.

Speaking in the same vein, Chairperson, NACOTAN, Oyo, Musibau Tijani wondered why governments of the South failed to mimic their Northern counterparts who provide vast land for cluster farming of cotton.

On her part, a cotton farmer, Mrs Adefunke Salam urged state governments to make available existing farm settlements, especially those underutilized, to be used for cluster farming of cotton.

She added that governments must be keen on revitalizing the cotton industry, by organizing requisite trainings to ensure that cotton farmers embrace mechanized farming and are up to speed with modern technologies in cotton farming.

However, Salam decried late disbursement of funds by banks as a bane of sustainable cotton farming in the country.

Buoyed by the need to revive the nation’s textile industry, a cotton processor, Mrs Ololade Adeneye hinted of her resolve to set up ginnery plants in different states of the South West, beginning with Oyo, Ogun and Ekiti.

She also advocated support of federal and state governments for cotton farming noting that the nation had the capacity to supply cotton to the world.

Describing the South West’s long cotton staple as being ranked the second best in the world after Egypt, Adeneye said governments of the region must show interest in the sector, to ensure cotton farmers embrace eco friendly and other best practices in cotton farming.

Regional Manager, South West, Arewa Cotton, Mr Adebayo Olayeni described as disheartening the fact that the South West region annually failed to produce 500 tons of cotton.

He however prayed that state governments in the South West will take a leaf from the interest of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government in textile production for the region to increase its production to at least 20,000 tons annually.

A risk manager, Mr Samson Ajibola, who also spoke at the occasion, tasked government at all levels to stop neglecting cotton farming but rather organise trainings for cotton farmers to embrace best practices.