Dickson
Farmers in Bayelsa State have blamed the state government for the poor growth of the agricultural sector, saying that the state government did not release enough funds for the farming season from 2012 to 2019 to boost food production.
The farmers made their position known at a one-day stakeholders meeting organised by the Bayelsa State All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) with the theme, “Revolutionising Agriculture for Foods, Jobs Availability, Wealth Creation and Healthy Living in Bayelsa State,” held in Yenagoa.
In his remarks, chairman of AFAN, Bayelsa State chapter, Mr Confidence Mac-Eteli, highlighted the challenges of farmers in the state to include lack of loans and grants to boost production, lack of central agro-produce markets for farmers to sell their farm produce after production, among others.
He tasked the state government to come to the aid of farmers by providing the enabling environment for farmers in the state.
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Mac-Eteli said the stakeholders meeting was organised to bring commodity farmers across the local government areas together to share ideas, exchange information, proffer solutions to challenges and chart the way forward on how to change the ugly narrative about agriculture in the state.
He maintained that the state government’s dismal support for farmers was responsible for the low morale of farmers in the state.
According to Mac-Eteli, “Bayelsa farmers have not received any government support as regards inputs or loans to boost production in our farms.
“Today we are here to set a new ground. They are now ready to move from subsistence farming to commercial farming and from local to international best practices.
“We are here to discuss some important projects and programmes and set a nine-point agenda as a vehicle to take us out of the pathetic and ugly situation we have found ourselves.
“The agenda include training and retraining, central agro-produce market, senatorial integrated demonstration farms, zero-waste land project, partnership, agricultural development clubs, website for AFAN, and AFAN state secretariat.”
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