Agriculture
Farmers Want RSG To Caution Herdsmen
Farmers have called on the
Rivers State Government to intervene on their behalf as activities of Fulani herdsmen are posing threats to their farms.
One of the farmers who spoke to The Tide, Mr Emmanuel Dike, a native of Rumuji in Emohua Local Government Area of the State said it was important for the state and local government to act quickly in order to avoid a possible clash between farmers and herdsmen.
Narrating his recent ordeal, Dike said he had earlier sent one of his sons and daughter to harvest cassava from their farm with a promise to join them later.
But to his surprise, according to him, his two children came back after a short while breathing heavily with report that herdsmen were on their farm and that their cattle had ravaged the cassava farm.
Continuing, he said on getting to the farm with his children the herdsmen had left and moved on to other farmlands, causing destruction along their trail.
He said since they were a peaceful people, they could not confront the Fulani herdsmen as they were always armed.
Another farmer Mr Olunwo John Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state who also spoke to our correspondent said their farms were prone to the activities of the herdsmen because they were based in Ahoada and Elele Alimini.
According to her, their main crops consist of maize and cassava and over the years they have had to contend with the destructive cattle.
She said the cattle handlers were always overwhelmed by the animals due to their number as they always stray to the farms each time they try to control them.
The Tide further gathered that the menace posed by the herdsmen cut across all of the adjoining local government areas of Ahoada East, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ikwerre, Emohua, Abual/Odual and Ahoada West.
It was further gathered that efforts by the farmers to speak with the Hausa community with a view to addressing the matter has not yielded fruitful results as the identity of the owners of the cattle could not be ascertained.
According to a farmer who asked not to be named, when confronted, the young Fulani men who move around with the cattle claim not to understand the English language for fear of revealing the identities of the owners.
However, a plantain farmer who gave his name as Buduka Joel said they were planning to farm a united front to enable them present their case to the appropriate quarters.
He said they would not take the laws into their hands because the Hausas have lived in the area for a long time with some of them bestowed with chieftaincy titles in Ekpeye and elsewhere.
When contracted, one Hausa elder who would not give his name said cattle eating crops on farms was not deliberate but was mere straying along the line of grazing.
Women preparing food during a practical session on processing food for school feeding and family nourishment organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Gombe.
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”.
