Flood: Co-Operative Makes Case For Farmers

The Ijedhe Farmers Co-operative of Ula-Upata in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, has called on the State Flood Committee to consider farmers who lost their crops and farmland during the flood in the scheme of the committee.

The President of the association Mr. Alex Nwaneri Okirigwe who made the appeal while speaking with The Tide over the weekend said his organization lost more than two hectares of farms and crops to the floods.

According to him, crops which his co-operatives lost included Cassava, Yams, Plantain and Banana among other.

Mr. Okirigwe said the floods which forced them to harvest massively even though the crops were not yet due for harvesting explained that hundreds of thousands of naira has been lost in the incident.

He explained that most of those who were camped at various locations were the ones whose houses were submerged by the flood. While thanking the authorities for the concern it showed by providing amenities at the camps especially in Ahoada East and West LGAs respectively, he urged the State Flood Committee and the two LGAs to come to the rescue of farmers in the area.

He explained further that most of the farmers of the rural level were subsistence farmers and if left on their own, would find it difficult to start all over again.

Mr. Okirigwe said the Jighe Farmers Co-operative can no longer find its feet except help comes from the state ministry of Agriculture and its agencies.