The Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria FACAN, yesterday, warned that if the Federal Government fails to provide adequate security for farmers and their investments food prices will continue to increase.
Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman Board of Trustees, BoT, FACAN, Dr Victor Iyama, said the major issue is to guarantee the security of farmers and their property for more food that will lead to affordability, availability and accessibility.
Iyama also pointed out that the issue of releasing grains from the grain reserves is a temporary solution but the government should handle the issue of securing farmers with all seriousness, which had been not given adequate attention by previous governments.
He said: “The temporary measure of releasing grains to cushion high food prices in the first instances, how many people will get to, well it is a good step but we should be talking more about how we can secure our farms and lives and property of our farmers in a situation where we go to farm we will be looking over our shoulders if they are coming or not.
“So it is not just about releasing grains, well, you can release grains maybe it will help a fraction of the society but the main solution like I have always said is by all means the lives and property of farmers must be secured if we are serious about food security that is the only solution and it is not just about fertilizer.
“Like I said in 2023, food security is the security of the lives and property of the farmer, and if you do that you will know that Nigerian farmers cannot only Nigerians but feed the whole of Africa, and it is as simple as that.
“We should not shy away from that because if you cannot protect farmers there cannot be food in the country. For me, we are not getting it. What we have in the silos cannot even satisfy one State. “
However, he said farmers are very bold and are producing food while some are afraid because they do not have that courage to go to the farm, and he maintained that the bottom-line remains securing the lives of farmers and their investment.
“Our people are ready to go to the farm, and are still producing, and that is why there is food in the market but expensive because farmers are not secured, and the bottom-line is to secure farmers because we need to produce more food but the lives of farmers need to be secured”, he added.
