Ibadan – The Oyo State branch of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged the state government to involve stakeholders in the agriculture sector in its policy formulation.
The Chairman of the association, Mr Olumide Aina, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
He said politicians were usually involved in formulation of agricultural policies rather than the actual farmers in the state.
“Majority of government policies were not evolved by experts, rather they were the products of politicians who call themselves farmers but know nothing about farming.
“But if stakeholders in the agriculture sector are carried along in policy formation, we are sure that agricultural problems will be half-solved, if not completely solved,” he said.
Aina, who also said farmers had not benefited much from the state government, expressed the hope that the administration would redress this.
“I cannot condemn the state government, but we have only received about 20 per cent of assistance from them.
“We, however, pray that this year, they will assist peasant farmers by up to 30 to 40 per cent so that we can be sure of food security in the state,” he said.
The AFAN chairman, however, commended the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, for ensuring that farm inputs were distributed to genuine farmers in the country.