***Raise concern over insecurity in the state
All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Niger state has set four million metric tonnes of cash and food crops production as its target for the 2024 wet sesson farming even as the association expressed concern over the insecurity in parts of the state.
The Chairman of the Niger state Chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Shehu Galadima spoke in Minna on Wednesday when he met with members of the association from the 25 local government areas of the state ahead of the 2024 wet season farming.
He disclosed that the association is set to mobilize one million small holder farmers from across the 25 local government areas of the state for the 2024 wet season farming.
According to him, the farmers would be targeting crops like rice, maize, sesame, soya beans, millet, cowpea, cotton, cassava, and yam for this year’s wet season farming.
Galadima explained that the state government has reassured the farmers that they would be save from terrorists and bandits attacks while they embark on the wet season farming adding that a lot of machineries are being put in place to respond in the case of any attack.
“Security outfits have been drafted to ensure that any attack are responded to swiftly. The government has reassured the farmers that they should have rest of mind as they return to their farms”.
He said that for the dry season farming, the farmers across the state experienced some attacks but they were quickly neutralized by the security agencies.
The AFAN Chairman indicated that last year over 1,000 farmers fell into the hands of terrorists and kidnappers and this he pointed out affected food production in the state, resulting in the current food shortage and prize hike.
While several of these farmers were killed by the Bandits and terrorists others were kidnapped and ransom running into millions of naira were paid to secure their release.
Despite this, he maintained that the farmers are relentless and would not allow these incidents deter them from their occupation.
The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Mathew Ahmed reiterated the state government’s commitment to agriculture revolution in the state.
He disclosed that the farmers are the key stakeholders in every sector of the economy which is why the state government is working hard to ensure that no farmer is disturbed by terrorists or kidnappers during the wet season farming.
The Permanent Secretary said that the state government is looking at how it would subsidize farm inputs for the farmers for the wet season farming adding that strategies are being put in place to ensure every farmer experience bumper harvest at the end of the season.