Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet), has charged Kogi State Government on the need to encourage farmers in the State to access farm inputs especially farm credit, fertilizers, improved seeds, and access to infrastructure like good roads and electricity. These will enable them add more value to their agricultural products and improve their wellbeing in the process.
The President, APRNet, Anthony Onoja, who said this at the 7th Agricultural Policy Research Seminar held in Lokoja over the weekend.
According to him, while Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State achieved the primary goal of Government to ensure security of lives, there is a need to ensure food security for the citizens.
He said: “Achieving this feat will involve concerted efforts by the Government and all other stakeholders in agriculture in Kogi State, adding that the network shifted the seminar to Kogi State to advocate for engagement of multi-stakeholders in agricultural policy formulation and implementation.
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He said APRNet believes that research in agricultural fields and related science will not lead to development in Kogi, and indeed in Nigeria, unless efforts are made by relevant authorities to build capacities of researchers and farmers bring about innovative technologies in farming. This will help in bridging the gap between the research community/academia and the farmers/agro-business, who are the end users of agricultural research.
“Institutions such as Kogi State University, and the Federal University Lokoja, and a host of others, would have a significant role to play in this area.
“It is surprising to note that a State such as Kogi, which is one of the food baskets of Nigeria, given its rich agricultural resources despite having a conventional Federal University is yet to start any programme in agricultural sciences.
He also called on the management of all related institutions in the State that have anything to do with farmers to key in, harness, and contribute their maximum quota to agricultural development.
“These will include the revival of all state development agricultural projects to carry out holistic modern agricultural extension services in line with the current thrust of the Federal Government in the Green Alternative.
“The need to revive the agricultural development project especially its agricultural extension services is highly need this time when the Federal ministry of agriculture and rural development is reactivating the national agricultural extension service delivery system.”
He indicated that farmers need to be exposed to modern methods of farming.
Source: G Business
