A series of local/national Fork to Farm Dialogue events are being held globally to herald the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26) scheduled to hold in Glasgow, Scotland between 1 and 12 November 2021. IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI writes on the local dialogue held in Oyo State recently.
FARMERS and stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Oyo State have identified challenges affecting the attainment of food security in the state. The challenges include climate change, threats to nature and biodiversity, insecurity, lack of access to capital among others.
They identified these challenges during a Fork to Farm Stakeholders Dialogue on Just Transition in the Future of Food, Farming, and Related Policy organised by the Youth for the Environment Nigeria.
The dialogue which held recently under the “Fork to Farm Dialogue’’ project chaired by Nourish Scotland, UK was organised in partnership with Dapo Adisa Agricultural Enterprise and the Sustainable Environment, Food and Agriculture Initiative.
Youth for the Environment Nigeria Founder and Director of Partnerships and Strategic Visioning, Mr Opeyemi Elujulo noted that the dialogue aimed to bring together representatives of diverse communities of food producers, and city representatives for constructive and fair exchange on how to address the challenges of climate change, threats to nature and biodiversity, and ensure food security.
He noted that the dialogue was drawn from an understanding that healthy conversations, trust and partnerships between governments particularly at the local level and farmers are critical to achieving a just transition in food and farming across the world.
According to a communique made available to Nigerian Tribune by Elujulo, stakeholders at the dialogue noted that lack of access to capital, infrastructure, good road networks, inadequate agricultural policies, insecurity and high cost of farming equipment pose great challenges to the attainment of just food transition in the state.
The communique read partly: “Inherent challenges with timely delivery of loans, incentives, and related government support to farmers are constraints to successful sustainable farming practices. The high interest on agricultural loans also discourages farmers from obtaining loans.
“Formulation of food related policies and decisions is most of the time not inclusive of local farmers’ voices, and as such policies and interventions most times do not align with the needs of the farmers, thus making adoption difficult.”
The participants also noted that crude equipment and farming tools used by the farmers have not encouraged large scale production of food, thus threatening food security and accessibility in Oyo State.
They added that farmers cannot peacefully go to the farms to produce food for local and national consumption because of the challenges of insecurity to the lives and investment of crop farmers from killer herdsmen.
“Poor road and transport networks in many locations have not encouraged the mobilization of products from farms to markets, and this has increased the rate at which farm products are going to waste.
“The high cost of farming equipment including fertilizer and chemicals makes it difficult for farmers to access them, thus affecting the soil quality.
“Lack of basic infrastructure in rural communities is forcing young people to migrate to the cities, consequently leaving agriculture in the hands of the old people, thus affecting productivity.
“Poor access to frontier information on best practices and research outcomes to farmers is a major limitation to adopting modern day farming best practices.
“Lack of support with irrigation facilities does not encourage dry season farming, hence causing reduced production and food availability in the dry season. That the income of farmers does not reflect farmers’ investment might be discouraging farmers’ commitment to farming,” the communique added.
The participants who developed a six-point recommendation urged the government to address the issue of insecurity, provide tractor for hire and other heavy-duty farming equipment and to improve the infrastructure and road networking in rural communities as a motivation for young people to contribute to the food production process.
They also noted that there is the need for the inclusion of the diverse farmer groups and other food and farming stakeholders in the formulation and planning of food-related policies and interventions such that they are need-based and reflective of the needs of the farmers.
The farmers also sought the return of the Agriculture Development Programme of the government which they believe helped to increase access to best practices, support, and related services, adding that the availability of off takers who will buy produce directly from farmers will increase market availability of produce and the income of farmers on their investments.
Participants at the dialogue further noted that they seek to establish lasting relations with the state government and the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development that would be leveraged towards consummating the quest for food security, and just transition in food and farming to a more sustainable farming approach in the state.
Those present during the dialogue include representatives from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Institute of Agricultural Research And Training (IAR&T), Ibadan; National Institute for Horticultural Research (NIHORT), Ibadan; National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI); Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, farmers’ groups from seven local governments in the state, NGOs, members of Oyo Young Agropreneurs.
Elujulo noted that a list of the challenges and recommendations have been made available to the Chairman, Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Peter Ojedokun.
Nigerian Tribune tried to contact Ojedokun to ascertain plans of the committee for the deliberations and recommendations arrived at during the dialogue but a source close to the assembly told Nigerian Tribune that all house committees have been dissolved and Ojedokun can’t speak in the capacity of head of committee.
- This report forms part of the Climate Tracker Food, Farming, and Climate Journalism Fellowship with support from Nourish Scotland, UK.
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