Farmers kick over exclusion as FG launches five-year national potato strategy

Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN) has knocked the Federal Government for excluding the association as it launched the National Potato Strategy 2023-2028 in Plateau State.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had on 7th September this year, launched the National Potato Strategy in Plateau State, a move hoped would drive the needed development in the potato value chain.

The President of POFAN, Chief Daniel Okafor in a text he made available to Tribune Online, lamented that the Chairman of POFAN, Plateau State was unaware of the launch in the state.

He wondered why an association who has made remarkable efforts towards repositioning the potato value chain would be sidelined in this kind of strategic activity. 

“May I use this medium to express my displeasure over the said launching of 5-year rolling plan on Irish potato without contacting our organization Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN).

“It beats my imagination that all the efforts we made to reposition potato status including running a training program free in Plateau and other states is not recognized. 

“Not even POFAN chairman in Plateau was invited. Non of the programs in other states were we contacted”, Okafor said

He recalled that it was POFAN that drew the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to the issues of Irish potato in Plateau.

He said the association collaborated with the Netherlands and followed it up until they expressed interest.

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