By Samuel
With the rising cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Nigeria, there are concerns on the implications of the crisis on farmers and food security. In this exclusive interview with AgroNigeria, Otunba Femi Oke, the Lagos State chapter chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria dissects all angles to rising issues affecting farming in the country.
Considering Nigeria’s current realities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, what challenges are farmers facing at this point in time?
Our challenges are very many, especially with regards to the losses we recorded from not being able to sell our produce optimally. Also, the gluts in our farms is another problem, especially among poultry farmers who have not been able to sell their eggs. Many of the eggs have been rotting away.
Also, movement of our produce is another challenge. We thank God a joint technical task force has just been inaugurated, but before then, farmers incurred lots of losses, especially those into perishable items such as tomatoes, vegetables, etc. We want the government to come to our aid in this area by extending their support. Government can take up most of these produce from the farmers and store them in storage facilities where they could be kept under average temperature, saving them for the future.
Also, the government needs to support farmers that have fallen victims to the adverse effect of this pandemic. Some of them took bank loans which they are now unable to meet up with. Again, farmers should be assisted with the opening-up of more roads and offered assistance by being given tractors and bulldozers, especially for farmers in the South West. This is because the risk we take to cultivate the land is higher. Manual labour, which is still in use, is not favourable at all. So, we want bulldozers to be given to AFAN or to every local government so that farmers can access them at low and reduced prices for us to do our land preparations.
With regards to the current egg glut in the market, what can the government do to help the plight of farmers?
The government should form a committee that would look into the issue to help farmers financially, especially those that have not been able to sell their produce as at when due. Buying the produce from farmers to mop them out can work; it would make the farmers happy. In most of the farms that I visited, especially the poultry farms, the farmers are not happy at all because they sell to restaurants and hotels, and these places are not opened at the moment due to the lockdown.
What is the association doing to ensure safety on farms and safety among farmers as they carry out farming activities during this time?
What we do is to sensitise our farmers to insure their farms. Also, with the joint task force that has just been inaugurated, the farmers can now move freely to their farms, especially AFAN farmers. We have decided to issue a pass to all our farmers for the free movement of their produce. These task forces are being inaugurated across all the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
What is AFAN doing healthwise for farmers?
Making sure they keep in line with health regulations from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control- to watch their hands and keep themselves hygienic, wash their gloves and keep safe after farming, practice physical distancing, make use of nose masks when farming, etc.
How easy has it been for farmers to adapt to these procedures while carrying out their farming activities?
It is very easy. For example, I was in the farm yesterday and I used the nose mask. So, immediately we left the farm, we washed our hands. We also sanitised.
It is the outset of the 2020 planting season in the South. How prepared are farmers? Are farmers ready to go farming?
Farmers are very ready but are considering a likely shortage of food due to the lockdown; it has not been encouraging to most of the farmers. Nonetheless, farmers would still try their best. We are still going to farm.
Is the availability of seeds for planting a source of concern at this point in the planting season?
This is another challenge farmers are facing because the seeds we have access to now are the ones produced before the lockdown. Most of the seeds companies are not working and we now have to buy at exorbitant prices. So, we are left with no choice.
Considering the lockdown order and the restrictions in movement, how available is labour for farming at this point in time?
We have sensitised our people. AFAN has also been recognised as one of the members of the technical task force team initiated at the federal level through the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Also, we are trying to sensitise all our farmers at the local government and ward levels. So, definitely, they would comply.
What should Nigerians expect as the planting season kicks in and is there going to be a shortfall in production this year?
There is no doubt about that: We would not get it 100%; there would be some shortfall. Due to the shortage of seeds, government not offtaking farmers’ produce, and farmers not being able to repay bank loans, we can say there is likely to be a shortfall.
With the ongoing AFAN leadership crisis at the national level, how well do you think the association can discharge its duties, especially at a critical period like this where there is a pandemic?
It will be a thing of the past. We are not happy about what is really happening, especially seeing all the theatrics at this point in time. But we are very certain it would be taken care of.
Will the leadership crisis affect this year’s farming or calendar of programmes for farmers?
No, it’s not going to affect them. We are really doing our jobs. Everybody is on as supposed to be.
What are your predictions for the planting and harvest season this year and next year or the post-Covid-19 era?
For now, there is no way we can predict. Seedlings are not available, the government is not intervening with regards to the losses we have recorded. But one thing, this pandemic is definitely going to affect something.
What would be the fate of Nigerians in terms of food security post-Covid-19?
That is why I said most of the commodities have to be subsidized. The government has to invite farmers and assist them, especially the poultry farmers, and also those into perishable items – they have been the most affected. There is no way the current pandemic is not going to affect things, but if measures are put in place to curb the adverse effects, Nigeria will not have a crisis in the coming year