A coalition of commodity associations and farmers’ groups has advised the Federal Government to use savings from subsidy funds to develop the nation’s agriculture sector, through the National Agriculture Development Fund (NADF).
The coalition’s position is contained in a joint statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The President of Young Farmers Network (YFN), Abubakar Bamai, made the statement, saying that investing the subsidy funds in the agriculture sector would enhance productivity and end food insecurity in the country.
“Recognising the critical role that agriculture plays in our nation’s economy, it is imperative that we invest in it for long-term sustainability.
“The diversion of the fuel subsidy payments to National Agricultural Development Fund will enhance agricultural productivity, promote technological advancement and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the country,” Bamai said.
The YFN president further suggested the areas to which the funds could be channelled to include research and development; farmers’ support programmes; infrastructural development; agricultural extension services and agribusiness development.
According to him, there should be support for agribusiness through access to credit facilities, training and market linkages, fostering entrepreneurship and creating employment opportunities in the agricultural value chain.
Bamai, however, said that the call was not in any way aimed at undermining the need to address the concerns and welfare of Nigerians in the wake of fuel price increase.
The statement also quoted the President of Women Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (WFAN), Amina Kabir, as saying that NADF would address some lapses encountered in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Scheme.
This, she said, was achievable, particularly as the agency would be dealing directly with the farmers, and not through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
“With National Agricultural Development Fund, I don’t think we will have a problem with PFI, because we have another channel, the one that knows the importance of agriculture and is there for agriculture, to give us lasting solutions,” Kabir said.
On his part, President of the Dates Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (DFAN), Prof. Usaini Dikko, said that NADF, like Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), would go a long way in transforming the agriculture sector.
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