NAN-AE-7
Empowerment
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, June 20, 2017 (NAN) The Oyo State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged lawmakers across the country to extend their economic empowerment programmes to farmers.
Mr Olujimi Ayinla, the state AFAN Chairman, who made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday, urged the legislators to also spearhead efforts to fast-track the growth of the agricultural sector.
He noted that the economic empowerment schemes of the lawmakers usually involved donation of motorcycles, hair dryers, grinding machines, refrigerators and sewing machines, among others, to their constituents.
“I have never seen any senator or member of the House of Representatives donating tractors or fertiliser to farmers in their constituencies, as part of their empowerment programmes.
“They seem to have forgotten that farmers participated in the elections that brought them into power.
“Farmers need empowerment in terms of farm inputs because most of the inputs are no longer affordable, compared to the situation in the previous year.
“We used to hire a tractor before at the rate of N3,000 per acre but now it is N8,000; some chemicals that cost N800 before now cost N1,800 per gallon.
“We, smallholder farmers, cannot survive without the support of the Federal Government, the state government and the lawmakers,’’ he said.
The AFAN chairman said that many farmers, who used to cultivate large acres of land, were forced to reduce the acreage of their farms due to paucity of funds.
Ayinla said that farmers, due to their important position in the country, needed the sustained support of the government, while the federal and state lawmakers should also encourage them.
He blamed the current high cost of food items in the market on factors such as high cost of production, lack of access to loans, lack of good roads and incessant farmers-herdsmen clashes, among others. (NAN)
SYS/AOS/OOK
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni and Dayo Komolafe