Food crises can only be tackled by the government- Farmer
Governments at all levels have been identified as the only source that could bring an end to food crises, thereby making life more comfortable for citizens.
The Ondo State Chairman of the Sunshine Rice Farmers Association, Mr. George Oladapo, stated this in an interview with the media in Akure.
Oladapo explained that rice farmers can produce massively to tackle hunger if they receive adequate support from the government.
“All our farmers are doing whatever they can through self-efforts. We need intervention in the areas of soft loans, provision of equipment, and herbicides.”
“We need herbicides, implements, harvesters, planters, transplanters, and combined harvesters. We need a lot of equipment that can trigger rice production. If we have this equipment, it will skyrocket three times what we get now. These are the things that are being done in the northern part.”
“We need to really concentrate. Proactive measures must be taken to ensure food security, especially in the area of rice production in Ondo State.” According to him, there are no proactive measures from either the federal or state government yet, even though they have plans to empower farmers.
He said the price of rice is skyrocketing because the government has not focused on rice production and processing, where much needs to be done. Oladapo urged the government to reach out to farmers directly through their associations and visit their farms to ensure they are actual farmers.
“The government should set up an implementation committee that will meet directly with the farmers, avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy. Agriculture is seasonal, and if you don’t apply the right solutions at the right time, you may not get the expected yield on those farms.”
He also advised the need to establish an implementation committee as well as a joint committee from both the federal and state governments to oversee all farmers’ activities.
“Here in Ondo State, we have massive cultivable land for rice, so I see no reason why Ondo State cannot lead nationwide in rice production and processing,” he declared.
