The Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria, has urged the Federal Government for inclusion in the palliative measures being distributed across the country, following the decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, and the unification of the foreign exchange market by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN).
The President of the female farmers, Mary Afan, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, lamented that it was no longer news that the prices of transportation, food prices, goods and services had increased.
Afan cried out that small-holder farmers had been forced to reduce the size of their farmlands due to the high cost of input and transportation.
The farmers’ association requested that the Federal Government should provide immediate palliative measures, improved seeds and farm input for dry season farming; targeted transportation subsidies to smallholders; support for climate-smart agriculture; market access enhancement; and improved agricultural funding amongst other things.
Afan further noted that the removal of fuel subsidy which has led to an undeniable increase in transportation costs, is unduly affecting the livelihoods of small-holder farmers, who rely on affordable means of transportation to move their produce from the farms to the market.
Similarly, the Vice-President of the association, Grace Disa said farmers were witnessing a challenge that requires the prompt attention of the federal and state governments. He noted that if the issues were left unaddressed, the increased burden on us farmers could lead to food insecurity, severe nutritional deficiencies, high poverty levels, and a further decline in farmers’ already challenging economic situation.
“For Nigeria to be food secure, we must work in synergy and support the frontline officers (women farmers) who are working tirelessly to ensure that there is food on our table. We must consider the farmers in the planning and design of the programmes and deliberately target them during interventions. Our slogan says it all: ‘No farmer, No food on the table, no nation‘”, the association stated.
