All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Edo State, has urged farmers to form cooperative societies in order to enjoy credit facilities and other agricultural incentives from government.

AFAN Coordinator in Edo North Senatorial District, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed   made the call in an interview with newsmen in Auchi.

He said that what existed in the state in form of cooperative societies were family, religious and political groups, which were formed by some persons for motives other than cooperative.

“What we have presently in the state as cooperative societies are loan seekers and not farmers cooperatives. These people hurriedly form themselves into cooperatives whenever they hear that loan is underway.

“There, you see husband, wife and children gathered to call themselves cooperative for the purpose of securing the loan and thereafter, go into oblivion,’’ he said.

He stressed that farmers were losing so much by not forming cooperative societies and charged them to take “your destinies in your hands and go into cooperative societies.’’

Abdullahi also called on farmers around the country to reorganise themselves and ensure that they formed cooperative societies in all the states and rural areas, noting that it was a global practice.

He said that with well-organised cooperative societies, farmers did not have to depend on government for loan and other aids, adding that they could seek such assistance from international donor agencies.

Abdullahi also called on the government to assist in regulating the operations of cooperative societies, especially in checking the activities of “dubious” groups.

According to him, government, at state and local levels, can help farmers in organising cooperatives and ensure that they are the only ones that have dealings with authorised agencies.

The AFAN coordinator said that an organised farmers’ cooperative would work with government “to the benefit of members and the communities through improved food production and poverty reduction.’’