Farmers Raise The Alarm Over Proposed Border Re-opening

The Forum of Agricultural Commodity Associations Presidents (FACAP) yesterday expressed concern over the proposition by some front runners in the forthcoming presidential elections to re-open Nigeria’s land borders when elected.

There have been clamour for the reopening of the country’s land borders and the resumption of importation of rice and other food items that had been banned by the current administration.

But in a statement issued in Abuja by the forum’s chairman, Sadiq Umar Daware, FACAP implored proponents to consider the advantages and disadvantages of either position in the overall interest of the nation.

Daware said it was not in the interest of the nation for anyone to politicise agriculture as it portends great danger to the wellbeing of the nation and its food security, adding that such move would eclipse the current gains in agriculture.

The forum also said the move could  encourage massive inflow of small arms and light weapons to the country.

He said, “Our major concern would be the impact this reopening of land borders and resumption of importation of rice would have on our teeming rice farmers who have deployed massively to farm following the ban on importation of rice and our medium and large-scale processors who have invested heavily in setting up processing facilities that are already up and running.

“We fear that the if the matter of lifting the ban on rice importation is not treated with all the caution it deserves, the current gains by the current administration that has ramped up production, facilitated the establishment of modern processing facilities and led to significant savings on foreign exchange hitherto spent on importation would be reversed or completely eclipsed. This would be a sad commentary.

“As an apolitical body of professionals whose sole passion is to ensure the end-to-end development of agriculture that guarantees food and nutrition security, we are poised to support any policy thrust that is farmer-friendly and is for the overall best interest of the nation,” he added.