Both the Federal and State Governments have been implored to as a matter of urgency set up Commodity Boards to streamline Agricultural Produce so that farmers across the country can enjoy good value pricing for their farm crops.
This appeal was made by the Farmers Economic Empowerment Association (FEEMA) at its meeting held in Kisi, Irepo local government area of Oyo State, attended by farmers drawn from Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Niger Ogun, Osun and Oyo States.
The farmers’ group in a resolution jointly signed by it National Chairman, Professor Abubakar Ali-Agan, Vice-Chairman, Alhaji Adam and Secretary, Mallam Bolakale Sidiq, also called on the Federal Government to establish Special Rural Security Outfits in each State to protect the farmers and ward off any security threat.
The special security outfits, according to the farmers, would be responsible for protection of farmers and the rural communities against invasion by terrorists as well as fight crop theft and ensure steady growth of agricultural business and peaceful rural life.
To curb incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen, the Association said: “The Federal and State Governments should set up a Panel where aggrieved farmers will report destruction of their farmlands, while mediators should handle compensation with respective leaders of the farmers and herdsmen to ensure compliance and payment.”
Noting that herdsmen/farmers clash constitutes a serious threat to national cohesion and food security, the farmers added: “When our farms are destroyed we neither attack the herd nor the herdsmen; we report to the leaders of herdsmen that we’ve brought into FEEMA and compensations are paid to farmers.”
The group also said that government should encourage all year farming across the country, adding “nearly every State is blessed with rivers and streams for irrigation schemes throughout the country to encourage all-year-round farming in all the States, adding that government should train more Extension workers, provide tractor-hiring scheme, fertiliser and chemicals and other Agricultural inputs to farmers.
The group also urged government to provide soft loans for farmers in single digit interest, including other financial assistance to encourage youth participation in agribusiness, adding that fertiliser should be sold direct to farmers instead of channelling it through middlemen. political consideration.
FEEMA, however, called for farmers understanding of the herdsmen’s struggle and the climate change, urging them 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.
Accordingly, FEEMA said that farmers in Nigeria deserve sympathy as they live in the most neglected parts of the country, urging them to cultivate the spirit of cooperation and collaboration to build a force to protect their interest and make meaningful representation to government at various levels.