Some of them, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on their challenges as wet farming begins, said they hardly went to the farm for fear of herdsmen and unknown gunmen.
These issues, they said, hindered productivity and posed a threat to food security in the region and the entire country, calling on state governments and relevant agencies to take proactive measures to address them.
In Enugu State, the Chairman, All Farmers Association (AFAN), Mr Romanus Eze, said late rains due to climate change affected farmers that cultivated early as the rain was not consistent and enough to penetrate soil needed for good farming.
He feared that the delay and gap might affect their output and make some who borrowed to cultivate bankrupt.
Eze encouraged farmers to hold on a while before engaging into massive cultivation of crop, advising them to wait in the next one or two weeks for heavy rainfall to set in.
On farm input, the chairman expressed happiness that the Enugu State state government secured 100 tractors for Enugu farmers, saying, “I have seen the 100 tractors the government has provided and another 100 is underway.
“But other inputs are yet to come such as quality and improved seedlings, fertilizer and other agro chemicals whose prices in the market are very high.
“I am afraid farmers may not afford enough of these inputs for their farms if there is no subsidy or grant from the government”.
He alleged that farmers from the zone hardly accessed loans from the Bank of Agriculture unlike their counterparts in the North due to some stringent measures put in place.
Eze, who lamented the development, acknowledged that in the past, Agric Bank was a national bank where Nigerian farmers accessed loans for agricultural purposes, noting that the bank seemed not to work effectively in the South East.
“Here in the southeast, it is very difficult for us to access the loan from the same bank with the same operational guidelines.
“Most farmers from the north access it with ease based on the report they gave during our meetings in Abuja.
“I ask, why is our own so difficult to access when the policy is the same? There is need for them to help us and reorient our farmers on how best to access these loans for us to achieve food security in the country,” said.
Eze added that most people could not go to their farms due to insecurity in some communities in Enugu State.
According to him, some farmers hire vigilante to escort them to farm because of herdsmen attack and pays heavily for their services and this needs to be addressed
“The other day, a lot of people were looking for cassava stem and the cost of it has risen to N3,500 per bundle against N1,500 we bought last year,” he noted.
Another farmer, Mr Anthony Obasi from Aninri Council Area, said their major challenge was lack of tractors to till their land.
“Also, as we are clearing the land, we need agro inputs seedlings to plant in them. Aside that, we experience the challenges of insecurity because we are boundary communities prone to attacks from neighbouring communities.
“We are bordered by Ebonyi people; from the east we have Akaeze community, which bordered Okpanku and up north is Isiagu but we are not having problem with Isiagu.
“Okpanku also bordered Ubulu people where we are having incessant killings of farmers. When you come to Ndiagbo, Nnenwe and Oduma, they are still having the issue of herdsmen,” he said.
While thanking the state government for boosting agriculture in Enugu, he alleged that most inputs they were providing were not given to the real farmers.
Mrs Eveliyn Nwaru, added that climate change affected them greatly given the rain pattern which began in February in Enugu.
According to her, it rained on February 28, repeated on March 5 and we thought that it had started. It took three weeks thereafter for another rain and those crop such as maize that farmers planted in March developed stunt growth.
“But today, we really thanked God as the rain fell a lot. We also have the challenges of pest attacking our maize and okro”.
Nwaru, however, thanked the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme IFAD-VCDP in Enugu for giving them fertilizer and rice seedlings as well as casava stems for the wet farming.
Mr Patrick Ubru, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-industrialisation, said the state government had provided 100 tractors and were currently expecting additional 100 aimed at ensuring mechanised agriculture in Enugu.
He explained that all registered farmers in the state would have access to tractors as the state was setting up asset leasing company who would hire it to farmers.
According to him, every farm estate will have tractors because 200 farmers will cluster in it with all the needed equipment and services as well as a warehouse for harvest season.
“Beside this, we are clearing hectares of lands across wards in the state preparing land for smallholder farmers and providing them with quality seedlings.
“We have also embarked on sensitisation down to ward level through Agricultural Development Programmes, imparting in them best agricultural practices across all the value chain.
“In a few weeks to come, we will launch farming season in Enugu,” he said.
On farmers and herders crisis, Ubru pointed out that it was not peculiar to Enugu State but a national issue, stressing that the state government was doing everything it could to resolve it.
“For instance in Uzo-Uwani, there is a presence of security there and farmers are encouraged to support them in information gathering as
Mbah’s administration has zero tolerance to insecurity especially in rural areas.
“With the farm estate project, the crisis between farmers and herders will be eliminated totally because the estate will be fenced and cluster of farmers in one place will scare hoodlums away.
“The farm estate will have vigilance groups and the state has a one stop ranch management system. So it is a holistic approach,” the Commissioner said.
In Anambra, many farmers have expressed dismay over the lack of rainfall which according to them, would affect their output this farming season.
They called on governments at all levels to embrace the idea of irrigation farming to boost food production as well as take measures to curtail flood when it comes.
Mr Emeka Ichele, a farmer called on authorities concerned, to provide irrigation by dredging local rivers and streams.
“Without proper dredging of rivers and streams around us, most farmers will continue to wait for the rains before they start farming.
“Once water ways are fully opened up, most farmers would be able to access water, then prepare for the predicted flooding by building catchment pits to avert damages,” he said.
Mrs Obioma Okechukwu, also lamented on the dashed hope of abundant food products this farming season.
“We had anticipated early rain this season but as it stands, it is coming late thereby making seasonal crops like maize to tarry longer than expected for the masses to have food at affordable prices,” she said.
Mr Junior Ibisi, a farmer, attributed the delay in rainfall to the massive development that was going on in the state.
“It is a common knowledge to know that allowing rain to fall as projected by nature will cause the construction companies working in Anambra huge loss and delay.
“That is why the contractors will go to any length in using wild wind in chasing rain to other locations for their work not to be affected,” he said.
Meanwhile, smallholder farmers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi capital, have requested access to modern farming technologies.
The farmers in their separate interviews with NAN also advocated for policies that supported efficient food production.
They listed the requests to include; improved irrigation systems, efficient machinery, soft loans, advanced storage facilities to minimize spoilage among others.
Mr Ezekiel Iteshi, a member of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria and Smallholder Farmer said that the technologies could enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and make farming more efficient.
He identified poor access to credit, loans and subsidies to finance their farming operations, poor storage facilities, lack of land tenure arrangements to encourage long-term investment in their farms.
He stressed that the demands would be sustainable if governments and other stakeholders played a crucial role in supporting farmers, strengthening food systems to ensure food security for all.
“They are huge smallholder farmers who can guarantee food security of the nation if they are supported with these technologies.
“Years back, we had varieties of foodies like fruits, vegetables, crops, fish in large quantities from different states. Let’s return by addressing security challenges to enable farmers return to farming proper,” Iteshi said.
Mr Linus Okpor, a farmer identified climate change impacts, stated that changes in rainfall patterns, temperature and pest infestations could significantly impact crop yields and livelihoods.
Okpor stressed the need for governments to support farmers associations with farm equipment such as pumping machines, farming tools, seedlings to enhance food production.
He wanted governments to assist farmers to secure fertile lands for cultivation, accessing necessary inputs like seeds and fertilisers.
Another Smallholder Farmer, Mr Uche Usolor, stated that a state highly dependent on agriculture especially on rice production should invest on acquiring more machinery to assist farmers in every autonomous community.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs Nkechinyere Iyioku, stated that the state government remained committed to enhanced farming in 2025.
Iyioku explained that commitments included initiatives like agricultural support programmes, aimed to empower women, youths and farmers in agriculture.
She said that the state government intended to make farmers, leaders in rice, cassava, yam, and livestock production by supporting with improved technologies.
“The state government is actively involved in training and sponsoring farmers to boost food security.
“We trained over 200 youths in agribusiness, including 171 ward councilors, as part of an Innovative and Integrated agricultural value chains agribusiness training programme at the stewardship scheme global Integrated farms in Nassarawa state.
“The training programmes cover areas like poultry, fishery and rice production,” Iyioku stated.(NAN)
