Bauchi Groundnut Farmers Seek Support On Inputs To Boost Production
Federal Government has been called upon to support groundnut farmers in Bauchi State with farm inputs to boost production of the nuts across the state.
The call was made by the farmers during the distribution of 100 liters of cypermethrin insecticides to groundnut farmers by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Definitely (FMARD), on Thursday, in Bauchi.
The farmers identified that lack of enough land size for planting, improved varieties and the unavailability of groundnut seeds, insecticides ,pests and capital are the constraints of groundnut production.
Malam Mohammmed Ibrahim the Chairman National Groundnut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, (NGPPMAN) said that the groundnut farmers have constraints in groundnut production.
He appealed to the federal government to groundnut value chain among the CBN adopted anchor borrowers for intervention to improve growing capacity of farmers in the state.
He also stressed that Nigeria can earn significant revenue in groundnut oil if accorded priority attention to groundnut production.
Another groundnut farmer, Mr Eric Maigida said that the federal government should support farmers with inputs and educate them on mechanized farming stressing that groundnut farmers need to be updated at intervals that would encourage and enhance their productivity and capacity.
Maigida Commended the Federal Government for building their capacity saying that, “I learned a lot from the training and I will really put the knowledge into practice,”.
Mrs Salamatu Mohammmed, said the knowledge acquired today would go a long way in improving groundnut processing and production.
“I learned how to use fertilizer, and the type of soil to grow crops as well as the use of insecticides in the farms,” She said.
Hajia Zainab Fika, Assistant Director with FMARD as well as the desk officer for groundnut value chain said the policy plan to address the challenges bedeviling the subsect and constraints of groundnut farming in the country.
She said that, “The Ministry distributed 100 liters of cypermethrin insecticides to the farmers to support crop growing in their farms.The training is very important at this point in time when Nigeria’s groundnut is suffering outright rejection from the foreign market.”
Zainab Fika then urged the farmers to judiciously make good use of the knowledge acquire to boost groundnut production.
source-tribuneonlineng.com
