Agriculture
2012 Flood: Rivers Fish Farmers Seek Govt’s Aid
The chairman, Baron
Investments Fish Farms, Chief Clement Robinson Ishiaki has called on the Rivers State government to come to the aid of fish farmers who lost their stock to the 2012 flood in the state.
Ishiaki, who spoke to our correspondent at his country home Ula-Upata in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State said farmers in the fishing industry in the state still need government’s attention.
While recalling how he lost his fish stock in the 2012 flood, he said he was able to restock again by securing soft loans from friends and lenders to enable him begin all over again.
He said since most of those involved in such business could not easily access loans, it was necessary the government came to the rescue of such group of farmers.
He said so far he was expecting a bumper harvest in 2014 even as he said that he ran at a loss after last year’s harvest.
“I am satisfied with what I am doing now at the farm.
“If you see my fish now in 2014 at least if I harvest them you will know that the job I am doing is a good job”, he said.
Explaining further, he said most fish farmers faced the challenge of funds to enable them break even.
He said the cost of feeding their stock was fairly high even as he said fishes to be consumed need the right feeds to make them wholesome for human consumption.
He said it was because of the cost of buying the appropriate feeds for their fish that some farmers feed their fish with food left overs and even rotten fish.
President Goodluck Jonathan (3rd right), Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State (2nd right), Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina (right), during an inspection visit to the Songhai Katsina Initiative, recently.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.