Rivers State farmers canvass for inclusiveness in agriculture subsidy

Farmers group in Rivers state has asked for inclusiveness in the Federal Government’s planned agriculture subsidy programmes focusing on efforts to enhance food security in the country.

Mr Godwin Akandu, President, Etche Farmers Cooperative Union, made the plea while speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

According to him, government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has notified farmers in the state of an ongoing agro-inputs distribution in five northern states of the country.

He said the distribution model was to test run the agriculture enhancement programme but expressed worry over non-inclusion of any of the southern states in its experimental stage.

“We call on the Federal Government to include the south in the test-run and indeed, the entire geo-political regions which ultimately have peculiar challenges such as climate, logistics, security and other factors impeding food production .

“Some officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture have addressed us on the Federal Government’s planned subsidy on agriculture and the state of emergency declaration on the agriculture sector.

“They said they are test-running on five states in the north to ascertain efficiency of agro-inputs distribution process but we are worried about what happens to the south. There should be a balanced assessment across the country to ensure tangible results as to the progress of the programme and its attendant solution to food sufficiency in the country,” he said.

Akandu also urged the government to redouble efforts in tackling insecurity arising from farmers/herders crisis in communities, to build confidence on the farming occupation.

He, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency on agriculture while also urging the various states to replicate same in their domains.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi