Farmers’ groups in Nigeria, under the aegis of the Farmers Economic Empowerment Association (FEEMA), have urged the federal and state governments to set up Commodity Boards to streamline agricultural produce and benefit farmers on their produce.
The farmers’ groups, drawn from Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ogun, Osun and Oyo, made the appeal at its meeting held in Kisi, in the Irepo local government area of Oyo.
In a resolution reached at the meeting, jointly signed by its national chairman, Professor Abubakar Ali-Agan, vice-chairman, Alhaji Adam and Secretary, Mallam Bolakale Sidiq, the group said that, “FG and state governments should set up commodity boards to ensure good prices for farmers.
It also called on the Federal government to establish special rural security in each state of the federation.
The special security according to the farmers would be responsible for protection of farmers and rural communities against invasion by terrorists as well as fight crop theft and ensure good growth of agric business and peaceful rural life.
The association also proffered solutions to frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen as well as need for farmers’ engagement throughout the year.
“The federal government and the state governments should set up machinery for addressing herdsmen/farmers crisis by setting up panel where aggrieved farmers will report destruction of farms while mediators should handle compensation with respective leaders of the farmers and herdsmen to ensure payment.
It stressed that herdsmen/farmers clash constitutes essential threat to national cohesion and food security in the country.
The group also said that government should encourage all- year farming in every state of the federation, adding that, “nearly every state is blessed with rivers and streams for irrigation schemes throughout the country to encourage all-year farming in all states in Nigeria”.
It also told government to train more extension workers, provide tractor-hiring scheme, fertilizer and chemicals and other agricultural inputs to the farmers in every state of the country.
It also urged government to provide soft loans to the farmers in single digit interest and other financial assistance to encourage youth in agribusiness.
It said that fertilizer should be sold direct to farmers instead of channelling it through political consideration. “This will stem the tide of rising prices of the commodity”.
“FEEMA also calls for farmers understanding of the herdsmen’s struggle and the climate change and urged the farmers to follow the warning and guidelines announced by the Nigeria Metrology Agency (NIMET) on the weather prediction so as to have good harvest on their farms this year.
It urges the federal and state governments to adopt FEEMA’s solution across the country to ensure food security.
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