Agriculture
Flood: Farmers in Gombe Recount Losses, Seek Govt’s Assistance
Farmers in Gombe State whose farms were submerged by the flood that ravaged their communities during the rainy season have started counting their losses.
The farmers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Thursday, said they were “devastated and helpless.”
The affected farmers are from Billiri, Kaltungo, Balanga, Yamaltu/Deba, Nafada and Akko Local Government Areas of Gombe State where flood had submerged several hundreds of hectares.
Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, a soya beans farmer from Panguru community in Billiri LGA, said he cultivated over four hectares of soya beans but harvested less than two bags of the produce.
Ibrahim said he was expecting between 160 and 180 bags of soya beans but due to heavy downpour which flooded and ravaged his farm, he could not get the expected yield.
”I lost over N6.7 million worth of produce to this flood. We were close to harvesting and then the rains came and submerged our farms.
”I borrowed N650,000 to buy improved seedlings but now I am indebted with no hope of paying back.
”There are farmers in my community who cultivated many hectares of soya beans and were expecting at least 500 bags which is about N22 million worth of produce.
”Many of those farmers are left with nothing; many of them are having mental issues because of the shock.” He said government’s intervention would help reduce farmers’ hardship, “so that we can return to our farms for dry seasoning farming; without supports, many farmers may not return to farms for a while.”
For Babangida Yakubu, a maize farmer from Deba community of Yamaltu/Deba LGA, he said living became difficult, on seeing the level of damage on his farmland.
Yakubu said while farmers appreciated God for the rains, they were mindful of the fact that the flood was not anyone’s fault, hence “we need the support of both the Gombe State and Federal Government.”
He said he lost an estimated 250 bags of maize to flood from the 10 hectares he cultivated and now, “I cannot cope if I don’t get any help; life is difficult for me and my households,” he said.
Also, Mr Usman Adamu, the secretary of Soybeans Farmers Association of Nigeria, Gombe State chapter, said no fewer than 1, 000 of its members from Billiri, Balanga, Yamaltu/Deba and Akko LGAs were affected by the flood.
Adamu said the damage would have an impact on the food security effort of government, “so I am appealing to governments at all levels to support farmers, for them to cultivate crops during the dry season to complement their loses.”
On his part, Mr Ibrahim Abubakar, the Head of Extension Officers, Gombe State chapter of the Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) special project under the Anchor Borrowers Programme, said the impact of the floods could not be quantified.
Abubakar said if affected farmers were not supported by the government, it would be difficult for many of them to recover from the loss towards continuing the vocation of farming.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.