Farmers Laud FG’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme

Scheme  farmers have expressed enthusiasm over the Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Support Service Scheme, saying that the initiative would help to boost agricultural production and also create wealth.

A cross-section of the farmers told newsmen in Umuahia that the scheme would eliminate middlemen in the distribution of farm inputs.

Eze Philip Ajomiwe, a traditional ruler and Umuahia-based agriculturist, said that with the new scheme, the Federal Government had come to wipe away the tears of farmers and make them to reap the fruit of their labour.

Ajomiwe, who owns a cassava farm and a processing plant, argued that under the new arrangement, farm inputs and other forms of assistance from the Federal Government would now be delivered directly to farmers at the right time.

He noted that in the past, government contractors usually delivered fertiliser to farmers late.

“During the stakeholders meeting, we said that we do not want any middleman so that the Nigerian farmer does not have to continue to suffer or shed tears again.’’

Ajomiwe further explained that the initiative would eliminate the dominance of government in fertiliser procurement and distribution at all levels.

He also argued that the scheme would encourage greater private sector participation in President Goodluck Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation programme.

He, however, expressed disappointment over the ‘’poor’’ attitude of Abia farmers toward the ongoing registration of farmers by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, saying that “the response is not encouraging.’’

According to him, whereas other states in the country have registered between 500,000 and 800,000 farmers, “in Abia we are yet to register up to 50,000.’’

Ajomiwe, who is also a member of the Federal Government’s Cassava Transformation Committee, decried the situation in Abia is regretted.

“Farmers here do not care about the registration; that is why I am calling for God’s intervention so that the state, which is the number one in Nigeria, should not be the last.’’

Ajomiwe, the traditional ruler of Oriendu Autonomous Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area, called for the extension of the deadline for registration to enable farmers in the state to benefit fully.’’

He explained that cassava growers in the area would soon meet with some designated banks over the disbursement of the Federal Government’s special interest-rate loan.

He said that a verification process tagged ‘’Operation show your farm and operation show your processing plant’’ would soon be carried out in the area to avoid impersonation.

‘’The verification will help to ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from the loan facility,’’ he said, pointing out that the era of portfolio farmers was gone.’’

Also speaking, the chairperson of the state chapter of Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, expressed happiness over the scheme, saying that it would help the Federal Government to reach out directly to the smallholder farmers.

Mkpa said that the initiative would also help to create wealth and empower farmers in the country, in addition to boosting agricultural output to meet local and international demand.