AFAN Allays Fears On Food Crisis

DESPITE the destruction of over 122,653 hectares of farmlands across states by flood, the National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kabir Ibrahim has assured that there will be no food crisis. While speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ibrahim said AFAN rather expects bumper harvest this year, and that farmers would be more prosperous than before.

“Where you have flood, using the right advise you can plant some crops in flooded areas and still get value.”

He said they have collaborated with the Nigerian Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) to ensure farmers get good seeds, adding that they are also embracing biotech- nology to get higher yields and also ensure value addition to their produce. Ibrahim however, urged farmers to process what they produce, as they would only get more money from their produce through value addition.

He blamed high cost of food on the exchange rate, and high cost of production, adding that it is fair for farmers to increase prices of their produce so as to be able to meet production cost.

On the need to have a Guarantee Minimum Price in other to control food prices, Ibrahim regretted that currently most of the silos are empty, noting that the development is due to the fact that government no longer buy grains to stock in the silos as it’s done before.