By Sandra Kenneth
The newly inaugurated Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Rivers State Chapter, Mr. Godwin Akandu, has called for a stronger communication pipeline between agrarian stakeholders and government authorities to avert a looming food scarcity crisis in the state.
Akandu highlighted the severe economic bottlenecks crippling local food production.
According to the AFAN chairman, farmers across Rivers State are currently battling unsustainable overheads, driven primarily by the skyrocketing costs of essential agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and tools. He lamented that despite heavy capital investments during the planting seasons, farmers are consistently met with low financial returns at the markets, a trend he warned is forcing many out of business.
“Many farmers invest heavily in production but receive very low returns when they sell their produce. This imbalance is making it increasingly difficult for them to continue farming” ,Akandu stated.
To mitigate the crisis, Akandu appealed to federal, state, and local governments to introduce direct subsidies on agricultural inputs and expand safety nets for local producers. He maintained that slashing the cost of production is the most viable strategy to incentivize farming, boost state-wide food yields, and stabilize farmers’ incomes.
Pledging an era of inclusive leadership, the new chairman promised regular town halls to directly address internal grievances within AFAN’s capacity, while escalating structural issues to appropriate government agencies.
Echoing the chairman’s sentiments, the newly elected Secretary of the chapter, Mr. Ibeh Stanley, urged the government to prioritize capital investments in modern farming machinery and accessible credit facilities. This support, he noted, is critical to transitioning local farmers from subsistence cultivation to large-scale commercial agriculture.
Stanley challenged the nation’s reliance on imported food, asserting that Nigerian farmers possess the requisite expertise to achieve food self-sufficiency and drive an export economy if backed by robust state resources.
“Nigeria should focus on producing enough food for local consumption and export rather than relying on food imports. Our farmers have the skills to compete globally, provided they have access to modern agricultural resources”, Akandu stated.
