Recently the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, acting on behalf of the federal government, gave some inputs to farmers in the state. But some of the farmers are not happy, because some of these inputs are sub-standard.
BUSHLINK had an interview with one of the farmers, Pa Folajimi Israel Akinsulure, who is a member of Adiyan Water works Farmers Association. The farm settlement is on the land of the Adiyan Water treatment plant, located in the Oke-Aro area of Ogun State but owned by the Lagos Water Corporation.
BY IDOWU MICHAEL
Recently, your Cooperative was given some incentives by Lagos State, was this true?
Yes, it is true, though the inputs were from the federal government, they just used the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture to pass them to the farmers.But the majority of what was given was substandard.
How do You mean?
I have been in this business for the past thirty years, talking about chemicals, fertilisers, I was in the Ministry before I retired, when I left service, I went into farming.
Those days, when the federal government was into production of fertilisers, we called the Company NAFCON (National fertilizer company of Nigeria), when you see their fertilisers, NPK for example, when you deep your fingers, it is oily, but when you apply it, it dissolves. The one they produce now, which is either powdery or in grains, when you apply them to crops, they don’t dissolve easily.Their quality is very low, they are substandard, this I know due to my experience over the years.
But these chemicals are produced by some Companies in the Country?
Most of the companies that produce these chemicals, their names are not known.
What effect do you think this will have on your crops?
Definitely, we won’t get the expected yield from the crops. For example, where you are supposed to have four to six tonnes per hectare, you won’t get it, because the ingredients in the fertilisers you used are substandard. Two, when you apply it to crops, it is like a prescription by a doctor to a patient, if a doctor applies fake or substandard drugs to a patient, the end result will be a disaster.
We won’t get the expected yield from the crops. For example, where you are supposed to have four to six tonnes per hectare, you won’t get it, because the ingredients in the fertilisers you used are substandard.
Are you people returning the fertilisers?
We have bought it, though, the government subsidised it for us, because, before now, our discussions with government and their representatives was that, either subsidy or grant to farmers will be much better than loan. Thank God, this came as subsidy, they subsidised it for us and we agreed, and we are grateful. But they should be able to give us good quality, which will bring out best yield for the farmers.
Was this through Cooperative or individual effort?
Yes, it was through Cooperative.
What is the name of the Cooperative?
Adiyan Water works Farmers Association.
With this experience, how is Cooperative going to report to the government?
When we see the extension officers, we will explain everything to them, they are our link to the government.
Going forward, will your Cooperative Society be interested in this type of subsidy, with your present experience?
I must say we appreciate the efforts of both the state and federal governments in this process, having been able to extend their hands of fellowship to us, farmers, but going forward, before the federal starts anything, they should discuss with the state, what their intentions are. From there, they will be able to know the needs of farmers.
I must say we appreciate the efforts of both the state and federal governments in this process, having been able to extend their hands of fellowship to us, farmers, but going forward, before the federal starts anything, they should discuss with the state, what their intentions are. From there, they will be able to know the needs of farmers.
For example, they gave us white maize, Lagosians don’t eat white maize, though, it can be used for livestock formulations, Lagosians eat yellow maize.
If the objective is to subdue food scarcity in the state, being a stable food, white maize cannot bring that about in Lagos State.
Are you saying white maize is a problem in Lagos State?
Lagosians don’t eat white maize, though it can be used in livestock formulations, Ondo State people do eat it, anything meant for any state should be able to meet their expectations.
Is this the fault of Lagos state or federal government?
The federal government should take the blame, the blame is not for Lagos state at all. All these were supplied by the federal government, they only used states as intermediaries.
So, Lagos State cannot protest on behalf of their farmers?
They cannot protest, because these are from the federal government. Come to think of it, who will act against his or her boss? They can’t.
What we are going to do is to complain to the extension officers, who will in turn take our case to their bosses in the Ministry.