The State Organizing Secretary of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Rivers chapter, Mrs. Chua Abbey, has called on the Federal Government to collaborate with local farmers in the state to enhance food sufficiency.
Abbey made the appeal in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Port Harcourt.
She attributed the persistent food shortage in the state to poor road infrastructure, herdsmen invasion, and lack of government incentives. She urged the government to tackle these challenges to boost agricultural productivity.
According to her, most farm settlements across the state lack access roads, making it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets.
“This year’s theme for the World Food Day, ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future’, emphasizes the need for collaboration among stakeholders to address food insecurity,” she said.
“We celebrated the World Food Day, yet there is food insufficiency here in Rivers State. That is why we are urging both the Federal and State Governments to work closely with local farmers to tackle this challenge.”
Abbey said that on Oct. 1, the National President of AFAN, Mr. Faruk Mudi, inaugurated a digital identification platform for farmers in Rivers, which she described as a step toward improving coordination and access to government support.
She expressed optimism about renewed collaboration with government at all levels but noted that the Federal Government’s promised support for farmers had yet to reach AFAN members in the state.
Abbey urged farmers to remain calm, assuring them that Mudi was already working with the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that genuine farmers benefit directly from government interventions.
At the grassroots level, she said AFAN was partnering with Directors of Agriculture across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to ensure access to land for mechanized farming.
She added that the state Ministry of Agriculture had assigned at least 40 tractors to assist farmers.
On the recent flooding in the state, Abbey said farmers had begun counting their losses, particularly in Gokana, Khana, and Eleme areas, which were badly affected.
She warned that the impact could lead to a rise in the prices of staple foods such as garri, maize, yam, and plantain.
