The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Southwest and Lagos Chapter, has called for greater private sector investment in the agriculture sector to enhance food security and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The Chairman of AFAN Southwest and Lagos State, Mr. Femi Oke, made the appeal on Thursday in Lagos following a recent intervention by the African US Trade Connect, which provided agricultural equipment and financial grants to farmers.
Oke noted that the support demonstrated how private sector participation could complement government efforts in developing the agricultural value chain.
“The empowerment we are enjoying today is from the private sector. We met the African US Trade Connect in the United States during a conference we attended,” he said.
“The group believes that agricultural interventions in Nigeria should not be left to the government alone. They have provided our members with agricultural machinery and equipment such as smoking kilns and milling machines for processing farm produce.
“Some farmers also received financial grants of up to ₦50,000 each. This assistance has greatly boosted productivity among our members.”
Oke urged other private organisations and investors to emulate the gesture by contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
“We use this medium to call on other private sector stakeholders not to leave everything to the government. They can intervene across multiple agricultural value chains — from aquaculture to livestock and poultry — depending on their capacity,” he said.
The Founder and President of African US Trade Connect, Mr. Wole Osinlaja, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to empowering local farmers and strengthening agricultural development in Nigeria.
“We assisted some AFAN members who went through a rigorous screening process to ensure that the interventions reached genuine farmers in need,” Osinlaja said.
“Among those empowered was a 96-year-old farmer whose business has been significantly transformed. It may seem small, but every little effort counts.”
Osinlaja explained that his organisation, which connects American and African businesses, has been operating for about a decade and helps African enterprises acquire equipment from the United States.
He added that plans were underway to donate moderately used agricultural machinery to farmers through AFAN to promote shared access and collective use.
“A small-scale farmer may not be able to afford this equipment individually, but by donating them to the association, members can share and lease them at no cost,” he said.
“We want to encourage local farmers not to give up — they must continue to strive and move forward in their businesses.”
Osinlaja also called on the government to deepen collaboration with farmer associations to ensure that interventions are tailored to the real needs of farmers.
“The government can do much more by working with organisations like AFAN that know their members and can identify their specific needs instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach,” he said.
