Nigeria: Farmers Seek Measure Against Fertiliser Diversion
Dated : 21st April 2009
Farmers in Bauchi State have urged the government to adopt practical measures to forestall the diversion of fertilizers and other farming inputs by middlemen.
The appeal was sequel to the first rain recorded within the Bauchi area recently, signalling the beginning of this year's farming season.
According to reports, farmers across the state had begun land clearing, preparatory to the commencement of full-scale farming activities.
A cross-section of the farmers, who spoke yesterday in Bauchi, noted that preventive measures against the diversion of fertilizers would ease their access to the commodity.
Malam Banbangida Bega, a maize farmer in Bauchi metropolis, said most of the farmers in the state never benefited from government's subsidy on fertilizer due to rampant diversion.
"The situation compelled farmers to rely on middlemen who sold the commodity at exorbitant prices, thereby making agriculture more expensive and less attractive.
"We are not benefiting from the so-called government's subsidy on fertilizers due to diversion.
"The situation has also forced many of our farmers to rely on cow dung to nourish their farms, as many could not afford the exorbitant prices of fertilizer in the open market," Bega said.
Alhaji Bello Galoji, Youth Leader, All Farmers Associations of Nigeria (AFAN) in the state, urged the government to include farmers' union in the fertilizer distribution committee.
Galoji said reconstitution of the distribution committee would guard against diversion and ensure that the commodity would get to genuine farmers.
"It is high time the government ensures effective monitoring of fertilizer distribution in the state.
"It is also imperative to reduce the price of seedlings, pesticides and other inputs supplied by the State Agricultural Supply Company (BASAC)," Galoji said, adding that farmers were not benefiting from the services of the company due to the high cost of the agro inputs".