By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Arc. Kabiru Ibrahim has said it is yet another epoch making occasion in Nigeria’s quest for sustainable food security and wishes every Nigerian the best Christmas ever and a prosperous New Year ahead.
In a statement issued by the National President, he said, “while this wish is almost cliche’ in our society, this year it is very symbolic due to the challenges the Small Holder Farmers (SHF) had during the most part of 2020, 2021 and 2022 ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity, high cost of fertilizers and other input to the devastating flooding of 2022.
He said, the SHFs which form 70% of their membership, remain the engine room of food production in the food system and as AFAN is the umbrella body of all the associations, it is pertinent to note the following in trying to build the food system better and to be able to attain food sufficiency and the most desired food security in the nearest future:
“All the farmers in Nigeria should try to speak with one voice on all issues affecting the agriculture space to be able to make the government more focused and accountable to the people who elected them”
“The farmers should rally round honest and transparent farmer leaders and not opportunists, who eat fat on the sweat of all Nigerians to be able to make Nigeria food sufficient and therefore sustainably livable,” he said.
He advised farmers to create sustainable synergies among themselves by relating effectively and peacefully with each other, regardless of belonging to different commodities to be able to impact the agriculture space sustainably.
The president said farmers should work in harmony to rid their lot of dishonest members who are perpetually shortchanging them by working with incompetent and corrupt public servants to swindle them in the repeated dishonest charade of “input distribution” in limited areas in Nigeria.
According to him, farmers should be financial members of their various associations, in order to function properly and join hands with AFAN to become relevant stakeholders in the governance structure of Nigeria’s agriculture.
“Also, farmers should work together to elect a government that has the best intention to make Agriculture the backbone of Nigeria’s economy,” he charged.
Ibrahim said, “farmers should always strive to be their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers to be more impactful in Nigeria, while the list of “Dos”and “Don’t’s” above is not exhaustive I strongly recommend the 7 bullets outlined for us all to embrace in 2023.”
