World Food Day: Association, farmers demand modern inputs
NAN-H-9
Inputs
Karu (Nasarawa State), Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Yam Sellers Association of Nigeria, New Orange Market, Mararaba chapter, and farmers in Nasarawa State have appealed to the government to provide them with modern farming inputs.
They groups also demanded for timely distribution of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs in order to boost food production in the country.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Abubakar Ubalabour, made the appeal on Sunday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of the state.
NAN reports that Oct.16 is set aside since 1976 as a day for people to declare their commitment towards hunger and poverty.
He said that yam and other crop production was important to the socio-economic development of the country, adding that apart from serving as food, it also improves the revenue base of the government and individuals.
“My appeal to the government as the world is marking the World Food Day is for the government to provide machinery such as tractors and other modern farming inputs to the farmers at a subsidised rate in order to boost food production in the country.
“Provision of modern farming inputs to the farmers will not only fight poverty, hunger and unemployment, but it would also improve on the revenue base of the country, improve on the standard of living as well as the socio-economic development of the country,’’ he said.
Ubalabour also called for a free interest loan to the farmers in order to achieve national food security.
“As we are all aware that no society can live comfortably, survive without agriculture; agriculture is the major source of livelihood of every family, nation and its importance cannot be overemphasised to the development of any society,” he added.
However, he commended Gov. Tanko Al-Makura for giving top most priority to agricultural and other sectors of the economy, and called for its sustenance
Mr Bulus Anzaku, a farmer in Karu, also called for a timely distribution of fertiliser to farmers in the state in order to fight hunger as well as boost the revenue base of the state and the country at large.
“Agriculture does not only provide food, fights poverty, hunger and unemployment, but it will also improve on the revenue base of the country, improve on the standard of living as well as the socio-economic development of the country,’’ he said.
According to him, early distribution of agricultural inputs to genuine farmers will boost food production, fight hunger and poverty in the country.
Another farmer in Karu, Malam Ibrahim Galadima, lamented on how majority of the farmers in the state are peasants, calling on the state government to provide inputs at affordable price in order to reduce their plight.
“Most of us farmers in the state are poor, we cannot afford to buy fertiliser and other farm inputs at the market price, that is why we are appealing to government always to provide us with fertiliser and other inputs at affordable price and timely,” he said. (NAN)
AKW/MST/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola