The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Otunba Femi Oke, has called on government at all levels to intensify support for farmers through timely release of funds, provision of subsidies, and improvement of rural infrastructure to curb inflation and ensure food security.
Speaking in an interview with WesternLifeNewsNG during AFAN’s monthly meeting in Lagos, Otunba Oke identified late access to loans and grants, climate change, high cost of livestock feed, and poor rural road networks as major challenges affecting farmers in the state.
According to him, while the Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), has extended financial support to farmers, the disbursement often comes too late in the farming cycle.
“For farmers, timing is everything. Loans and grants must come before or during land preparation ideally between October and March, so we can plant and harvest at the right time, especially with the rainy season,” he stressed.
The AFAN chairman also lamented the impact of flooding on farmlands in the state, urging the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to intensify sensitization and for the government to set up committees to support farmers who suffer losses from floods or fire outbreaks.
On the rising cost of livestock feed, Oke said the situation was becoming unbearable for poultry and aquaculture farmers.
“A bag of feed now costs between ₦25,000 and ₦30,000. For someone stocking 1,000 to 2,000 birds or fish, that’s a huge burden. Government should step in with subsidies,” he appealed.
He further highlighted concerns over agricultural inputs, particularly genetically modified (GMO) seeds, which, while yielding more produce, are costly and not reusable for replanting. He called for sensitization on safe and sustainable inputs, as well as support for organic farming.
Oke also underscored the importance of rural road development, revealing that AFAN is working with the World Bank under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to open key feeder roads that connect farms to markets.
“Good roads will reduce transportation costs and the inflationary prices of food,” he added.
On youth participation in agriculture, Oke said AFAN Lagos has a vibrant youth wing across all 57 local council areas, with many young farmers leveraging e-commerce to market their produce.
He commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s recent ₦500 billion produce off-take scheme, describing it as a bold step to stabilize food prices and increase market access.
“With Lagos partnering other states like Niger and Kwara to source produce in bulk, farmers can get paid promptly, and more food will get to Lagos households at affordable prices,” he noted.
Otunba Oke maintained that with timely funding, infrastructural support, and effective policies, Lagos farmers are ready to produce more and contribute significantly to tackling inflation and improving food availability.
