The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Osun State chapter, has applauded both the federal and Osun State governments for their efforts in enhancing agricultural productivity and supporting farmers’ operations across the state.
Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the state chairman of AFAN, Alhaji Wahaab Bello, noted that the interventions from both levels of government had significantly improved food production and made farming more appealing to a wider segment of the population, especially youths.
“Several youths are now into farming and the agric-value chain because the Osun and federal governments have provided lands and farm settlements, along with tractors to ease operation,” Bello said.
He highlighted the provision of essential farming tools and resources—such as fertilizers, chemicals, and seedlings—as major drivers of the sector’s recent growth, saying these inputs have led to improved operations and bountiful harvests.
“We appreciate the federal and state governments for providing farmers with fertilizer, chemicals, seedlings and other farming implements which have been helpful in our operations,” he added.
According to him, the rising market value of food items has made farming a more profitable venture, attracting even more participants.
Bello also commended the Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project (O-RAMP) for constructing access roads to farms and settlements, which he said has enabled farmers to sell their produce directly without middlemen.
However, he urged the government to ease access to funding, especially grants and loans tailored to farmers’ specific needs.
“We have written to the federal and state governments to provide loans that farmers can easily access through the Bank of Agriculture.
“We appreciate the effort of the Osun Government that has made loans available for cooperative societies under the agric-value chain, but the conditions for obtaining these loans should be reviewed,” he said.
He explained that although some farmers benefit from microcredit schemes through the Osun Micro-Credit Bank and the Osun Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC), the requirements for accessing these funds remain a major hurdle.
“We are appealing to the government, both federal and state, to provide loans strictly for farmers, where farmers can stand as guarantors for each other,” Bello said.
The AFAN chairman further recommended that governments should engage directly with recognized farmers’ associations to ensure transparency and effectiveness in the disbursement of funds.
He also praised the state government for subsidizing tractor hiring fees, noting the reduction from N35,000 to N20,000 as a welcome relief. Still, he appealed for further reductions.
“Like Oliver Twist, we will appreciate it if the price is further reduced to N10,000 and the government should also help farmers clear their farmlands and allow payment for the service after harvest,” he said.
Bello urged independent farmers to join recognized associations to fully benefit from government programmes and interventions.
