By Aminah Carew
Farmers in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State under the banner of Association of Farm Settlers on Sunday said failed flood forecast and lack of government input in agriculture would make maize scarce in the year 2021.
The farmers said it’s members lost millions of naira in the year 2020 planting season as a result of government ‘failure to support agricultural produce.’
The group made this disclosure in a communique issued after its emergency meeting held in Iseyin area of the state to address the plight of maize farmers in the state.
The farmers claimed many of its members had decided not to deal with maize planting again because of lack of farm implements and manpower.
In a communique signed by their Chairman, Mr Alabi Kazeem and dated Saturday 26th December, 2020, which was made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday, the body claimed its members immediately went to access loans from commercial banks and private individuals to plant maize when they heard about a better future but turn out to be false rain forecast.
“Many of our members have decided not to plant maize again because of the poor and unstable rainfall, when they heard about the government’s forecast through the meteorology department as well as the rigorous campaign from Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources that there would be lot of rain towards the end of October and November, they sought for fund to plant maize.
“It is very unfortunate that the failed forecast led to a staggering loss to our members, they lost millions in bank loans and borrowing from family and friends to plant maize, many cannot even pass by their farms to see the withered maize farms, we are so hurt by this occurrence.
“In as much as we are not blaming the federal and State government for issuing flood alerts to safeguard lives and properties, including those of farmers, we are using this opportunity to appeal to them to support us, our members are running from pillars to post to repay loans they took from banks and from individuals.”
The communique further said the two layers of government and the Central bank of Nigeria should put in their best measures to avert food scarcity, especially scarcity of maize in 2021 as most maize farmers in Nigeria lost their crops to the drought.
