FG urged to ensure only real farmers get loans

A large scale farmer in Taraba state, Alhaji Idris Waziri Mamman, has advised state and federal governments to ensure that only practicing farmers are given agricultural loans and other incentives.

He said in an interview that only about 30 per cent of those getting such loans provided by the federal and state governments are practicing farmers .

Barrister Idiris Waziri said it was sad that whenever the government was giving out agricultural loans and other farming incentives non practicing farmers usually hijack the facility.

He disclosed that there are cartels who have advance information on any facility that is about to be released and they usually hijack the programme.

The large scale farmer said unless the trend is changed it will be difficult for the government to achieve desired results.

He cited the rice production program introduced by this administration which he said the bulk of those receiving soft loan under the program are non-practicing farmers.

He alleged that fertilizer and water pumps provided by the government under program ended up being sold out to middle men .

He advised that a committee should be set up at local government, village and ward levels to ensure that only known practicing farmers are given the loan.

According to him desk officers sent from Abuja to states do not really know the actual practicing farmers and they ended up giving the loan to wrong persons.

Barrister Idiris Waziri also advised the Taraba state government to set up committees in all the local councils to handle farm leasing especially to non-indigenes.

He said land owners in the state are always afraid of giving out their farmlands to unknown farmers because in some instances such persons end up claiming ownership of the land they hired.

According to him if a committee is handling such transaction there will be proper documentation and both parties will be protected legally.