Late availability, high cost of inputs and services, infrastructure deficit, and post-harvest challenges among others are a disservice to the country’s agricultural development.
First national president, Nigerian Cassava Processors and Marketers Association, HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe stated this to LEADERSHIP in Umuahia, Abia State capital as farming season is approaching in the state.
“Take fertilizer as an example. It is necessary for the farmers to acquire not only the type and quantity they need for a season, but also for them to have them early enough, but this is never the case,” he lamented.
“The same is true of the inputs and services like hiring of tractors and others. To develop the section, the authorities and the stakeholders must make sure they are affordable by the average farmer.”
According to the traditional ruler of Oriendu autonomous community, Umuahia North local government area, at the end of the season, the farmers would still be faced by lack of access roads to take their produce home or the market.
“If you add lack of storage facility and glut, unstable commodity price, high cost of labour, the farmers in most cases encounter huge losses at the end of the season despite their efforts,” the monarch further asserted.
He explained the youths refusal to heed governments calls to them to return to agriculture as a result of the archaic system still in existence “which they find very hard and difficult to adapt to”.
“Almost every aspect of the sector is still manual-based. Land preparation, planting, weeding, even harvesting still require human labour while in modern societies these have been mechanised.”
Explaining that the potentials in agriculture are inexhaustible, he stressed that the governments should go beyond voicing the need for the youths to return to the sector, but to make it appealing to them.
He underlined the need for prospective farmers to study the area of the sector they want to engage in, seek professional or expert advice and apply them accordingly to avert losses.
“Beside producing for local consumption, “ the monarch counselled, “farmers should also consider going into exportable items which always have ready buyers.”
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