By; SANI ALIYU,Zaria
The Chairperson, National Gender Steering Committee for the Implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture, Mr. Azubuike Nwokoye has advised government to invest more on the extension workers as well to spend more on demonstration plots, where farmers can see it practically.
Nwokoye gave the advise at a retreat programme organized for women, youths and people with disability in Zaria last weekend.
He said, if government engages extension workers to assist farmers on the new technologies and innovations, it would boost agricultural practices by producing enough food for the country and beyond.
The chairperson who is also the Food and Agriculture Programme Manager, lamented that in the whole of Nigeria, there is less than 30% of extension workers, which he said, is inadequate for Nigerian farmers.
According to him, Action Aid Nigeria has identified that extension workers don’t have operational costs, vehicles, motorcycles that can transport themselves to their target farmers.
Mr. Azubuike Nwokoye also suggested the use of local made fertilizers by Nigerian farmers so that farm products will be safe and free from harmful chemicals.
He said Action Aid Nigeria has identified the solution in the components of the policies in terms of the growth in agriculture in the country, particularly with the current food crisis.
He added that, Nigeria has opportunity as a country and Kaduna State also has opportunities, but much has to be done in terms of spending in the agricultural sector.
“Spending in agriculture is to be treated as an investment by targeting properly in the agricultural sector all issues of food crisis will have not been in Nigeria”.
Participants at the retreat called on the government to attend to all agricultural programmes at the right time to avoid wasting resources.
Also, they added that farm inputs should be given to farmers as early as possible, to enable them prepare in good time for the season.
