Senate Seeks Price Crash Of Farm Inputs, Support For Farmers

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently introduce broad-based agricultural input subsidies, particularly for fertilisers and other farm inputs, to address the growing crisis facing Nigerian farmers amid falling produce prices and persistently high production costs.

The call followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), which highlighted the widening gap between declining farm-gate prices and the soaring cost of inputs as a major threat to the livelihoods of millions of farmers across the country.

Leading the debate, Senator Goje urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in critical agricultural infrastructure such as storage facilities, rural roads, processing centres and irrigation systems to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ profitability.

The Senate commended the Federal Government for steps taken to reduce food prices nationwide through waivers and special permits for large-scale food importation, noting that the measures had brought relief to consumers.

However, lawmakers observed that while food prices had declined, the cost of farm inputs — including fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides — remained extremely high, creating severe hardship for local farmers.

Goje expressed concern that the resulting market distortion had led to massive post-harvest losses, as many farmers were unable to sell their produce at profitable rates.

He warned that the situation had caused widespread wastage, spoilage, income erosion and serious economic and nutritional setbacks in farming communities.

The Senate further cautioned that the persistent drop in farm-gate prices could discourage farmers from investing in the next planting season, posing a serious risk to domestic food production, rural economic stability and national food security.

Lawmakers noted that smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s food production system, depend almost entirely on farming as their primary source of income.

They warned that continued neglect could deepen rural poverty and increase Nigeria’s dependence on imported food, weaken food sovereignty and expose the economy to global price volatility and foreign exchange pressures.

Senator Goje also stressed that poor coordination among ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), state governments, commodity boards, cooperatives and other stakeholders had worsened challenges related to pricing, storage, transportation and market access.

Accordingly, the Senate resolved to urge the Federal Government to design and implement a Special Emergency Intervention Package for farmers affected by the collapse in produce prices to cushion losses and stabilise households.

It also called for the establishment of a Benchmark Minimum Price Framework for major agricultural commodities and a Guaranteed Off-take Programme, under which government would purchase produce directly from farmers at benchmark prices.

The resolutions further urged the introduction of broad-based subsidies for fertilisers and other key farm inputs, increased investment in strategic agricultural infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses and boost farmers’ incomes, as well as a review of current import waiver and special permit policies to ensure Nigerian farm produce can compete fairly with imported alternatives.

Seconding the motion, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North) emphasised the need for policies that balance food affordability for consumers with sustainable incomes for farmers, stressing that high input costs must be urgently addressed to boost production.

Senator Dandutse Mohammed (Katsina South) described the motion as timely, noting that over 60 per cent of Nigerians depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

He lamented that fertiliser prices had reportedly risen above ₦60,000 per bag while produce prices continued to fall, warning that unchecked food importation and lack of subsidies were devastating local farmers and contributing to insecurity.

Senator Steve Karimi (Kogi West) raised concerns over insecurity in farming communities, describing it as a major threat to food security, while Senator Idiat Adebule (Lagos West) questioned the role of state governments in complementing federal agricultural initiatives.

In his contribution, Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) acknowledged that temporary border relaxation during periods of scarcity might be necessary, but insisted that farmers must be supported with affordable inputs and stable commodity pricing to sustain production.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thanked lawmakers for their robust debate and expressed confidence that the resolutions, if implemented, would help stabilise the agricultural sector, protect farmers’ livelihoods and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.