The Farmers Economic Empowerment Association (FEEMA), a farmers’ organisation with members from seven Nigerian states (Kwara, Niger, Ekiti, Kogi, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo), has urged the federal and state governments to set up commodity boards in order to control agricultural products and guarantee farmers receive fair prices. The appeal was made during a meeting in Oyo State’s Kisi. The group also underlined the necessity of each state having its own unique rural Security forces to defend farmers and rural communities against crop theft and terrorist attacks. Furthermore, they suggested a methodical approach to resolving disputes between herders and farmers, including panels to record farm damage and mediate payments between impacted farmers and herder leaders.
In every state, FEEMA promotes year-round agricultural by utilising rivers and streams for Irrigation projects. To help farmers, the association called on the government to increase the number of extension agents, tractor-hiring programs, fertilisers, chemicals, and other farming supplies. Additionally, in order to promote young involvement in agribusiness, they asked for easy loans with single-digit interest rates. To avoid price increases, the group emphasised that fertilisers should be sold directly to farmers instead of being distributed through political channels. Additionally, FEEMA advised farmers to follow the Nigeria Meteorological Agency’s (NMA) weather forecasts in order to improve yields.
Nigeria’s economy depends heavily on its agriculture industry.
To safeguard their interests, they emphasised that Nigerian farmers are among the most disregarded and demanded greater collaboration and participation. An organisation in Nigeria called the Farmers Economic Empowerment Association (FEEMA) works to promote the Welfare and rights of farmers in several states, including Kwara, Niger, Ekiti, Kogi, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo. FEEMA, which was founded to solve the numerous issues facing the Agriculture industry, focusses on programs that support equitable pricing, security, and environmentally friendly agricultural methods.
More so, the group actively advocates for the adoption of laws that improve farmers’ livelihoods and guarantee Food Security across the country in interactions with the federal and state governments. Nigeria’s Economy depends heavily on its agriculture industry, which in early 2021 accounted for about 22.35% of the country’s GDP. Despite this importance, the industry faces several obstacles, including Infrastructure deficiencies, economic instability, climate change, natural disasters, and insecurity. Inadequate or nonexistent infrastructure makes it difficult to produce and distribute food efficiently, which results in post-harvest losses and restricted access to markets for farmers.
A sizable portion of Nigerian farmers work at the subsistence level.
Production costs have skyrocketed as a result of the withdrawal of Fuel Subsidies and a declining value of the currency. Consumers’ purchasing power has been further strained by the sharp increase in the cost of staple foods, such as rice and beans. Attention has been drawn to FEEMA’s proposal to create commodities boards to control the price of agricultural produce. Such boards, according to experts, might safeguard farmers from market Volatility and stabilise prices. However, openness and cooperation between governmental organisations and farming communities would be necessary for successful implementation.
Security specialists stress the need for specialised units to protect rural areas from Banditry and insurgencies in relation to the idea for special rural security forces. Protecting farmers and their livelihoods might be made more effective and trustworthy by putting community-based security strategies into action. Nigeria’s agricultural land area is roughly 70.8 million hectares. Despite having a large amount of fertile land, the nation nonetheless imports a large amount of its food, making it a net food importer. A sizable portion of Nigerian farmers work at the subsistence level and have little access to loans or contemporary farming supplies.
Related Article: The future of agriculture in Nigeria
Low Productivity and revenues are the outcome of this circumstance, which keeps farming communities trapped in a cycle of poverty. Nigeria suffered severe food security issues in 2024, which were made worse by rising war, unstable economic conditions, and unusually high prices for staple foods. Commodity boards should be established, rural security should be improved, infrastructure should be invested in, financial services should be made easier to access, climate-resilient farming methods should be encouraged, and farmer-government cooperation should be strengthened. By implementing these strategies, Nigeria can strive towards a more resilient and strong agricultural industry, guaranteeing food security and bettering the standard of living for its rural people.