Monarch urges govt. to support rural farmers to boost food production


Oba Jacob Mejedi of Orokere Amuro in Mopamuro LGA of Kogi has called on government at all levels to provide adequate support to rural farmers to boost food production.

The monarch made the call during the annual celebration of 2016 New Yam Festival on Thursday in Mopamuro, Kogi.

He urged government at all levels to give adequate and timely support to the farmers in the rural areas, as they were the major sources of food production for the nation.

Mejedi noted that the state government had promised to support his people with farm inputs like fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and other farm equipment in August 2015, but failed to fulfil those promises.

The Monarch said that the community was having unusual small tubers of yam this year because of inadequate rainfall and lack of farm inputs to boost their farm produce.

"We only heard of the Federal Government agricultural loans to farmers on radio and television but our communities have never benefitted from them.

"We are appealing to the Federal and State governments to ensure that farmers in villages also benefit from the incentives and programmes for farmers across the federation.

"This will encourage our people to actively engage in grassroots farming activities which will in turn boost massive production of food for local and export consumption," Mejedi said.

The traditional ruler also urged government to make provision for storage facilities and good access roads to farmland for easy transportation of farm produce to markets.


The Amuro New Yam Festival celebrated annually on July 7, witnessed a huge turnout of residents, visitors and indigenes of the seven communities in Amuro and from other parts of the country.  

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