Association urges state to provide farm inputs, loans to farmers

The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged the Enugu State Government to provide farmers with farming inputs like loans, seedlings and tractors to boost food production in the state.

The Secretary of AFAN, Enugu State Chapter, Mr Romanus Eze, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday.

Eze said that it was necessary for the association to call on the government as well as politicians and wealthy citizens to come to their aid so as to have enough food at the end of this planting season.

“Farmers in the state need loans, seedlings and other agricultural equipment like tractors and fertilisers as this will go a long way to help in this year’s farming season,’’ he said.

He noted that the association was in a better position to identify its members; adding that it was more secured and easy to distribute the farming facilities through the association.

According to him, the problems of farmers in Enugu State are enormous due to lack of fund, seedlings, fertilisers and tractors.

He, however, attributed the increase in the price of food in the market to lack of fund on the side of the farmers and increase in the price of seedlings and other farm inputs.

The secretary appealed to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to give the association special audience by providing them with the necessary farming inputs to help them produce food bountifully.

“If the governor will give us special audience and provide us with what we are requesting for, it will make farmers in the state to begin their planting exercise early and as well produce much more,” he added.