18th June, 2017
The greatest challenge to beans production in Nigeria is the lack of tractors, Mr Kabiru Mohammed , the President of National Federation of Cowpea Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria said.
Mohammed made the fact known in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that it was regrettable that the government does not give farm equipment directly to farmers.
“The government should create enabling environment for farmers by bringing in farm equipment, which should be given directly to the farmers and not through ministers who will leave them until they get spoiled,’’ Mohammed said.
He advised that the Federal Government should ban the importation of fertilizers into the country.
According to him, the ban on the importation of fertilizers will encourage farmers to embrace organic farming.
Mohammed said organic farming would reduce the production costs because the farmers would not need to buy expensive chemicals and fertilizers.
He added that for long term benefit for the country, organic farms would save energy and protect the environment.
Mohammed said that the association was trying to put up measures that would act as marketing board to certify the products before export.
“We are trying to put up a measure that will look like marketing board, we will make sure that in each zone we have our store and in these stores we have officers from NAFDAC and quarantine services.
“While we are doing this is to ensure that before products leaves that zone it must have been certified and this will go a long way to preventing rejection of our products in the international market.
“If your products are not certified from your zone, we will not allow it to come out and even if it gets to the ports, we will still verify from your zone to know the conditions of the products,’’ he said.
Mohammed said the association was partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to source for international buyers.
According to him, the association has secured partnership with Turkey on beans as the country buys almost 100,000 metric tons from them.
He said with such partnership and more to come, farmers would be encouraged to go into beans farming.