Provide Enabling Environment For Farmers To Avoid Food Crisis, Govt Urged

The three tiers of government, the federal, states and local government have been urged to take the agriculture sector seriously by providing an enabling environment for farmers to improve production in order to avoid food crises in the country. 

Prince Wale Oyekoya, an Agriculturist and Consultant gave the advice in his media parley with DAILY INDEPENDENT while speaking on his projection for the sector, adding that there is going to be scarcity of food items with the little budget allocated to the agro sector. 

He said that there are some states imposing heavy double taxation such as land use charge and VAT on some farms, whereas such state governments refused to provide water, security, power and good roads to these farmers they are taxing. 

“My projection for the sector this year is mixed as there is going to be scarcity of food items with the little budget allocated to the agro sector and with the hope that the government retains the closure of the borders. 

He noted that state governors need to improved infrastructures such as good roads, electricity, security and funds with low and single digit interest rate, and added that the state government should create sustainable development policies to boost production and should also issue C of O to farm lands, that that way they can access loans.

Source: https://www.independent.ng/provide-enabling-environment-for-farmers-to-avoid-food-crisis-govt-urged/