By Our Reporter
Nigeria’s drive toward sustainable food security is being undermined by inadequate storage facilities and poor rural road networks, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has warned.
Speaking in Ibadan on Monday, the Oyo State AFAN chairman, Adewumi Abas, said many farmers are forced to watch perishable produce such as tomatoes and peppers rot due to the absence of storage and preservation systems.
“Some crops must be harvested every few days, whether there is a market for them or not,” Mr Abas said. “Once their quality declines, their market value drops, leading to losses for farmers and contributing to rising food prices.”
He urged governments at all levels to invest in modern storage and preservation facilities, noting that farmers’ associations are willing to partner government through acquisition or rental of such facilities.
Mr Abas also identified the poor state of rural-urban roads as a major factor driving up the cost of transporting food. Many transporters, he said, avoid rural roads for fear of vehicle damage, forcing farmers to hire labourers to carry goods to accessible points, increasing production and market costs.
“This reduces farmers’ profit margins, and the extra expenses eventually reflect in the final price of food items,” he stated.
He, however, commended the Oyo State Government for improving security in rural areas through the Amotekun Corps and the NSCDC Agro-Ranger squad. He urged continued vigilance, especially during the dry season when herders move more frequently in search of pasture.
The AFAN chairman further lamented that many farmers were unable to recover their investments during the current harvest season, blaming policies that allow mass food importation without adequate protection for local producers. He cited cassava farmers as among those worst affected.
(NAN)