Farmers in the country under the aegis of the United Integrated Farmers Association of Nigeria have scored the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), low in tackling the nation’s current food crisis.
The organisation said there had not been serious intervention in ensuring that Nigeria had food sufficiency since the current government came on board eight years ago.
The National President of UNIFAN, Pastor Akinlami Aduragbemi, stated these in Abuja while addressing its members and representatives of other related associations including the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
The farmers, therefore, endorsed the presidential ambition of the Labour Party, candidate, Peter Obi, for the coming elections, with the hope that he would do well for them and the agricultural sector.
Aduragbemi said their support for Obi was a result of his track record in the agricultural sector when he served as governor of Anambra State.
He said farmers in the country had no choice but to support Obi’s candidature as a result of numerous challenges bedevilling them.
According to him, one of the cardinal points of Obi was to shift attention from a consuming economy to a productive one, with farming taking the centre stage.
The Grand Patron of UNIFAN, Stephen Osunkeye, based in Chicago, United States, said that in the last few years, there had not been any serious intervention in the food crisis and hunger, adding that farmers had not been supported adequately, especially those in grassroots.
He expressed hope that if elected, Obi would provide low-interest/soft loans to the farmers and improve on budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector.
Osunkeye said, “Apart from always being at home, calls from family, friends and images we see and the cost of food make one feel unhappy. Even the staple common food and produce become so expensive and unavoidable for the average Nigerian.
“In my opinion, from the last few years till now, there has not been any serious intervention in the food crisis and hunger. Farmers have not been supported adequately, especially farmers at the grassroots with agricultural incentives.
“From what I have heard from him (Obi), in terms of making Nigeria a productive nation, he should give high support to farmers, settle issue of farmers and herders, provide low interest and soft loan to farmer.
“He must also make sure agriculture has a reasonable budget. All the country food baskets should be secure and receive Fund for expansion.”
