The climatic conditions are adjusting so fastly to meet the needs of nature and players within the natural environment are also making frantic efforts to take advantage and maximise the gains by preparing themselves for new farming season.
The rains have started fallen in this second week of march and from every indication, 2024 farming season will usher in early agricultural activities especially those that rely on rain water.
I have made several pleas to governments at all levels to help Nigerian farmers heave some sight of relief by overcoming the challenges of the immediate past. Even though Nigerian farmers are already used to struggling on their own to make ends meet with little or no governmen attention, it’s only proper that serious attention be given the sector in view of the prevailing economic situation. It beats the imagination of many that the very rich and potentially vibrant and lucrative agricultural sector has painfully remained unattended to by government. Only few states of the federation take agriculture serious and only few of the states can boast of doing little for their farmers. With high cost of items in the country, governments are expected to subsidize basic agricultural items like e.g. seedlings, fertilizers, other farm implements like tractors, etc to assist them in reducing manual labour.
Farmers need soft loans to expand investments from small scale to mechanized systems that can provide food for families and at the same time, generate some reasonable income.Year in year out, governments have reeled out beautiful agricultural plans for the people but often not implemented. Diversifying the economy is not an option.It is not that those in government don’t know the value of agriculture to the society, but it appears it’s a lack of political will to enforce corresponding action. Many of those in strategic positions in government have their personal farms and yet, cannot encourage people to do same for the same benefits that attracted them. The story of the Nigerian farmer is that of pity, neglect, pain, agony, suffering, exploitation, etc.
The new farming season is midway now but fertilizers are yet to to be made available. Where the items are available, the high cost of the price is beyond purchase by these same farmers. Where they need tractors to till large expanse of land and high breed seedlings for higher yield, none is available. The oil sector is not an area that everyone can venture into neither are other areas such as mining, production, commerce, aviation ,transportation, etc. agriculture is the only sector with numerous natural endowments such as land is not as capital intensive as other such areas. Therefore, the lack of interest in the agriculture sector by government, is not only a discouragement to the growth of a virile economy, but a panacea to poverty. There is nobody that doesn’t eat food.
Therefore food is a daily basic consumable that is needed for daily survival of both people and animals. This is a critical sector that has helped many people because of its vast potentials and endless opportunities. This is a sector that has provided huge consolation for many people especially now that most governments at all levels across the developing world have not done well. It is a sector of self motivation ,discipline, sustainability and advancement. It is a sector that only those who know its value and are committed to pursuing it carry on even with no or less governmental intervention. Those who are serious farmers know what am talking about. My definition of serious farmers is not in the bigness of the farm size, but how committed a farmer is to ensuring food security of his immediate family ,clan or community.
Most committed farmers are already aware of the need for early planning to avoid any eventuality or unanticipated occurrence or consequences such as scarcity and late arrival of inputs like fertilizer, herbicides, seedlings and also being conscious of increased prices ,etc which can make business very frustrating. While many farmers would naturally rely on government for the provision, supply or subsidy of these vital and basic inputs, others would prefer to work it out for themselves considering the several failures or refusal of governments to do it. This is because most people in government don’t give priority to agriculture even when they boast of having their own farms and being farmers themselves. It is worrisome that people who have farms before getting into government lack the zeal, passion and commitment to continue with it and even make it a priority in office.
Am always tempted to ask whether their ownership of farmlands is for decoration or the pride of ownership of landed property which is being kept for sale anytime the need for cash arises. The fact remains that agriculture is the mainstay of every human economy especially in struggling nations , but almost all the three tiers of government have not taken to that seriously here in Nigeria , neither have they demonstrated any exemplary and serious commitment to it. But many individuals know the value and eternal relevance of the sector, hence their personal commitments and investments. The food security it provides, employment it generates and corporate trickledown effects it provides for industries ,companies, factories, etc.
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