Farmers in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau have appealed to governments at all levels to subsidise fertiliser and ensure its timely availability to enhance food production and address hunger.
The farmers made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, saying the high cost of fertiliser was discouraging many smallholder farmers from cultivating their farms.
They noted that although governments at the federal, state and local levels had continued to encourage increased food production, the prevailing market price of fertiliser remained beyond the reach of many peasant farmers.
Mr Wangshak Wutok, a pensioner and father of four, said the rising cost of fertiliser had become a major obstacle to farming.
“Many people are discouraged from farming because of the high cost of fertiliser.
“How can a pensioner like me afford N50,000 for a bag of fertiliser when there are several other family needs to meet?
“Government should make fertiliser affordable and available so that we can cultivate our farms, produce enough food and improve our standard of living,” he said.
Mrs Everester Damulup, a widow and mother of four, said her monthly earnings as a cleaner were insufficient to purchase a bag of fertiliser.
“If we don’t get support from the government, it means farming will gradually become impossible for people like us, and the consequences will be severe.
“I appeal to the government to come to the aid of vulnerable farmers, especially widows who bear the responsibility of raising their families alone,” she said.
Another farmer, Mr Golbak Samson, said farming remained the primary source of livelihood for many rural households, but the increasing cost of farm inputs was threatening their survival.
“We often hear that government distributes fertiliser to farmers across the country, which is commendable, but in many cases, the products do not reach the genuine farmers who need them.
“We usually sell our grains to buy fertiliser, but grain prices have dropped significantly. How many bags of grains must one sell just to buy a single bag of fertiliser?” he asked.
Samson urged the government to ensure that subsidised fertiliser reached genuine farmers to improve agricultural productivity and sustain rural livelihoods.
Mr Moses Dasung also stressed the importance of agriculture as a source of income for many families.
“Not everyone can secure a white-collar job. Farming is the main source of livelihood for many of us.
“If the government subsidises fertiliser and makes it readily available, farmers will increase production, while both the government and citizens will benefit through improved food security,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Jan Sati said continuous cultivation had depleted the fertility of farmlands, making fertiliser indispensable for good harvests.
“Many people invest their time and resources in farming with the hope of getting bumper harvests, only to record poor yields.
“You cannot farm successfully without fertiliser because our soils have become weak after years of cultivation. The land needs nutrients to produce better yields.
“Government should reduce the cost of fertiliser because paying N50,000 for a bag is simply not affordable for most farmers,” he said.
Source: (NAN)
