Farmers in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states have expressed concern over the dearth of unskilled labour and high prices of farm inputs as preparation for the rainy season farming is ongoing.

The farmers in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) lamented that increase in farm inputs and high cost of labour were taking a toll on their farming activities and finances.

Some farmers in Ondo State who spoke with NAN, described the shortage of unskilled workers as ?a big challenge? facing farmers and food production.

Mr. Dayo Akindele, a farmer, told NAN that the lack of unskilled labour posed a great challenge to the new farming season as most of the labourers were no longer available for farming.

?We are facing serious challenges as a new farming season approaches, I have a large farm which I cannot do myself, but most of the labourers we use are no longer in sight.

?Some of these labourers have taken to commercial motorcycle as their latest business and are no longer interested in farming.

?If necessary solutions are not realised, the challenge may cause food shortage in the nearest season,? Akindele said.

Another farmer, Mr. Stephen Akintelure, disclosed that he had a large farm, and expressed the fear of farming in the new planting season due to the challenge of labourers during the last planting season.

?Before I could get labourers last year, I had to pay more money before I got some labourers transported from Benue.

?Most of the people we used then have become commercial motorcyclists and when you call them, they will say they?re no longer doing such dirty farming again,? Akintelure said.

Similarly, Mr. Adewale Malumi, another farmer said that the dearth of unskilled workers ?speaks of low volume of farm produce and hunger if the issue is treated with levity.?

He urged the government to rise up by providing tractors, and other planting and harvesting machines across all 18 LGA?s in the state which farmers can hire for farming.

?The government must rise up to their responsibilities to ensure that tractors and other planting machines are deployed to all the 18 LGA?s for farmers? hiring to ensure bountiful harvest of farm produce,? Malumi said.

A female farmer, Mrs. Esther Oluwafemi said that those willing to work in the farms were difficult to recruit, because they were not available.

?The able men to do the jobs are not available. We?re paying more to hire labourers to work in the farms.

?As a matter of fact, there?s no willing labourers to work in the farms nowadays. Those that are available charge exorbitant rates,? lamented Oluwafemi, who engages in commercial cassava farming in Iju, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

The President of Ondo State Farmers Congress, Mr. Abayomi Monilari, attributed the challenges facing farmers in the state to non-availability of farm tools, adulterated chemicals and insecurity.

Monilari advised government at all levels to give soft loans to farmers, especially those engaging in commercial farming, towards boosting food production and ensure food security.

The AFAN president said that if government could provide enough tractors for farmers, the work would be more efficient and effective.

An agronomist, Dr. Clement Emiju, said the threat from cattle herders, bandits, and other criminal elements were disrupting farming activities, leading to drastic food shortage.

Emiju asked farmers to collaborate with local authorities and security agencies to enhance farm security, stating that there should be community-led security initiatives to curb insecurity.

The agronomist said that Nigeria had no reason to be insufficient in food needs, stating that insufficient funds to get inputs had been another factor limiting farmers? ability to produce in large quantities.

He called on farmers to explore government subsidies, grants, or loans, adding that farmers should consider cooperative savings or micro finance options in getting the needed inputs for large scale quantities.

According to him, high cost of inputs and scarcity of labour are factors discouraging farmers which will have negative effects on food production.

Emiju asked farmers to seek bulk purchasing options or discounts, saying that they should explore alternative, cost-effective inputs.

He urged framers to organise community labour-sharing initiatives and invest in mechanisation.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association (OSACA), Chief Abiodun Adejo, said that lack of equipment, improved planting inputs, insecurity and lack of rural road maintenance would affect farmers in the rainy season farming.

?The farmers have little or no powers on any of the above stated issues. We solicit the powers of the government to assist the farmers in these areas. No farmer can buy a tractor and maintain it for farming purposes that will break even.

?Access to smaller, manageable equipment should be made available at subsidised rate for farmers,? he stated.

According to him, beyond shortage of labourers, the issue of security cannot be over emphasised, and maintenance of the rural roads is a major part of security.

?Without good and motor able roads, movement of security personnel will be hampered.

?The farmers have already moved into their farms but for us to have adequate food supply for the state, every hand must be on the plough, both government and the people,? he said.

Similarly, Mr. Ganiyu Musefiu, Osun State Vice-Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), noted that maize, cassava, potatoes, vegetables and others were already being planted by farmers in the state.

According to him, full farming operation has started in Osun while farmers expect a good harvest as the state government is supporting farmers, especially female farmers, with seedlings.

Musefiu disclosed that the state government had also made tractors available to farmers at a subsidised rate, noting that the major challenge farmers were facing in the state was the inability to access loans for farming.

?If we don?t have money or access to funds, we cannot expand our operations or increase our yields. Not having money to operate limits our production and the ability to maximise our turnover,? he said.

According to him, farmers now have hope and assurance that whatever they plant and harvest will be sold at a good profit, as demand is now greater than production.

Also, Abimbola Oluwaranti, a Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Department of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowi University (OAU), Ile-Ife, called on the government to assist farmers with sufficient funds.

Oluwaranti said that access to funds, quality seeds, and availability of manpower would boost production and minimise importation of food.

According to her, most of the small scale farmers are facing the constraints of access to funds, modern equipment and lack of manpower.

?For farmers to be able to produce sufficient food for the masses, funds, modern farming equipment and manpower must be readily available.

?I am a plant breeder, I develop variety types of crops, but farmers without sufficient funds to buy the right, quality seeds will not be able to produce quantitatively.

?So, when the farmers plant such seeds, it will not yield quality farm produce. But if you have money, any technology you know that will boost your agricultural produce, you want to invest your money into it,? she said.

Oluwaranti urged governments to be more proactive and be part of farmers? life by giving them enabling environment for quality farm produce.

An Agriculturist in Ekiti State, Mr James Abioye, said that excessive rainfall would always lead to flooded farmlands and root rot that causes erosion of topsoil and loss of nutrients.

According to him, poor road infrastructure, where rural roads become impassable, thereby hindering transportation of farm produce, are also part of the challenges.

He said the effects of pests, disease outbreaks, and wet conditions also encouraged the spread of fungal infections and pests on crops during rainy season.

?Post-harvest losses, difficulty in drying and storing produce due to high humidity and lack of storage facilities also affect farmers during the season.

?Farmers also face soil erosion where heavy rainfall washes away topsoil and reduce land fertility, as well as health hazards which increased risk of water borne disease among famers and communities.

?Unless the government and farmers work together, it may be difficult to achieve the desired results,? he stated.

In the same vein, an Agricultural expert, Mr. Sunday Bamigboye, encouraged farmers on flood control measures.

According to him, construction of drainage systems and embankments, use of raised bed farming and contour ploughing are solutions to farmers? challenges of flooding during rainy season farming.

?Government should help farmers to improve rural infrastructure, invest in rural road development and maintenance, and use of temporary storage and transport solutions during peak rains.

?They should organise pest and disease management schemes to promote the use of disease resistant crop varieties, and train farmers in integrated pest management techniques.

?Famers should engage in post-harvest technologies that provide solar dryers and hermetic storage solutions, and set up community storage centres with weather protection.

?Farmers should have access to weather forecasting services, which expand access to mobile weather alert services in local languages and collaborate with media and agricultural extension services.

?They should be trained in soil conservation techniques that promote agroforestry, mulching and cover cropping, and also be supported in training on conservation agriculture practices by governments,? he said.

Bamigboye also urged government to provide health and sanitation support which improved access to clean water and mobile health clinics in farming communities.

Mr. Oluropo Dada, a former chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ido-Ekiti Chapter, appealed to all levels of government to empower farmers with adequate funds, tractors and other high-profile farm implements to boost production.

He commended Gov. Biodun Oyebanji for giving priority to the development of agriculture and welfare of farmers in all the local government areas of the state.

According to him, the era of herdsmen invading and destroying farms are over with the establishment of anti-grazing enforcement agency in Ekiti.

Similarly, the chairman of Farmers Community Association in Ikole-Ekiti, Mr. Olatunji Ayegbusi, appealed to the government for empowerment with soft loans to enhance their productivity during the rainy season.

He said the farmers needed urgent government interventions to survive the current economic challenges facing the state, and Nigeria as a whole.

Ayegbusi urged the state government to partner with foreign investors and private companies to empower farmers with loans and fertilisers to improve agricultural produce in the state. (NAN)

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