The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN)

  • AFAN calls for provision of tractors, other implements

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Edo chapter, has called on the state government to provide tractors, bulldozers, graders and other farm implements for farmers in the state to hire.

    The state Chairman of AFAN, Chief Emmanuel Odigie, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Sunday.

    Odigie said the association was willing to pay an agreed amount to the state government on a monthly basis for the use of the equipment if provided.

    He said “the idea is to enable our members to hire them at affordable rates to prepare farmlands and construct roads leading to the farms.

    ”Our investigation revealed that farm produce waste away in the farms due to inaccessible and deplorable state of our farm roads.

    “If the roads were graded, farmers would evacuate their produce and avoid the waste,” he said.

    The chairman further said that the lack of the equipment and irrigation, as well as poor state of roads posed very serious challenge to farmers in the state.

    Odigie explained that the use of the equipment would promote large scale farming and make farming easier in the state.

    He however commended the efforts the state and Federal Governments toward improving agriculture through various programmes.

     

  • Enugu govt. to give farm inputs to farmers – AFAN

    The Enugu State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), says that plans are underway by the Enugu State Government to provide farmers with farm inputs.

    The State Chairman of AFAN, Mr Alfred Eneh, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday that the government had promised to distribute the farm inputs to farmers before the onset of the planting season.

    He expressed the hope that the 2017 planting season would be far better than the 2016 season because of the renewed interest of the state government in the farmers’ needs, for them to have good harvests.

    “The state government will soon begin to put smiles on the face of every farmer in Enugu State, as it provides us with inputs like fertilisers, tractors and seedlings as well as finance so as to boost our productivity.

    “The government has promised us that as soon as the planting season sets in, it will provide all the facilities we need to boost agricultural production in Enugu,” he said.

    Eneh said that although the association had yet to know the quantity of inputs and funds which the government intended to provide, the details would surface later when the actual distribution began.

    He, however, said that farmers had been waiting patiently for the government to make available the farm inputs, particularly now when the rainy season was fast-approaching.

    “However, judging from the preparation of the government for this year’s farming, there will be enough food on the people’s table, when compared to the situation last year,’’ he said.

  • Police express concern over influx of stray camels in Jigawa

    Police express concern over influx of stray camels in Jigawa

    The Jigawa Commissioner of Police, Mr Rasheed Akintunde on Monday, expressed concern over the presence of stray camels roaming the streets in some parts of the state.

    The commissioner made the observation in Dutse during a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss the security challenge of strange camels on the streets and on the highways.

    He said the police would henceforth prosecute owners of such animals with existing state law which spells out some penalties to be meted out on anyone that allowed the animals into farms.

    The police commissioner also warned that such animals would be apprehended, and sold to compensate owners of farmland destroyed by the animals.

    He said available reports have shown that the camels have been destroying farmlands and causing accidents in some areas.

    He said necessary measures would be taken to address the situation before they cause further damage.

    The commissioner said that the meeting was convened in order to identify owners of the camels with a view to addressing the security challenge.

    Akintunde noted that it was worrisome for a large number of camels to infiltrate the state without their guide controlling them or identifying owners of such animals.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Gagarawa Local Government Area, Malam Badamasiu Ya’u, also expressed similar concerns.

    He alleged that a Chadian woman brought as much as 3,000 camels to his area and other neighbourhood.

    Ya’u urged the police authority to take the matter with the seriousness it deserves before it gets out of control.

    “Those moving around with the camels do not understand Hausa language, but we have been hearing them speaking only Arabic language,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by government officials, representatives of Immigration, Cattle breeders Association, Farmers, NURTW and Vigilante Groups, among others.

  • AFAN wants governors to invest more in rice production

    The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kaduna State Chapter, on Wednesday urged governors to invest much in rice production to enable Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in rice.

    The Chairman of the chapter, Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria that the investment became imperative in view of Nigeria’s need for food security.

    Aminu urged governors of other states to emulate Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos who invested in rice in Kebbi.

    “The Lagos State Government invested so much in rice production in Kebbi. That gave the state an opportunity to produce enough rice.

    “The rice was processed, packaged and milled just like Thailand’s imported rice, but it is more nutritious and healthy.

    “If our governors, especially northern governors, can take a cue from Lagos State, it will not only boost their revenue bases but also enhance national food security,’’ he said.

    According to the AFAN leader, locally-produced rice is more nutritious than imported rice.

    Aminu pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians to encourage the Federal Government in its diversification efforts by investing more in agriculture.

    He said that investing in agriculture would actualize the diversification and create jobs.