The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Lagos chapter, has emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy to tackle food insecurity and inflation, stating that grain distribution alone won’t suffice.
RIFAN Chair Raphael Hunsa called on federal and state governments to convene a roundtable with farmers to develop effective solutions. Hunsa stressed the importance of addressing present food inflation through collective measures that prioritize long-term food security.
Highlighting the necessity for farmer involvement in decision-making processes, Hunsa emphasized the importance of government-farmer collaboration to achieve success. He urged continuous support for farmers, including input, seedlings, chemicals, and machinery to enhance productivity and meet the nation’s demand for food.
Hunsa urged the government to establish mechanisms to track interventions aimed at farmers to ensure they reach their intended beneficiaries. He also highlighted the soaring cost of locally produced rice, attributing it to various factors including production costs and transportation.
Regarding the federal government’s grain distribution, Hunsa stated that it’s insufficient to address underlying issues of food insecurity. He urged the Lagos government to collaborate more closely with rice farmers to increase paddy production capacity, emphasizing the need to address bottlenecks hindering productivity.
Lastly, Hunsa stressed the importance of addressing economic challenges, stabilizing the foreign exchange market, providing incentives for farmers, and tackling unemployment and insecurity. He urged governments to adopt strategies from developed countries to address the food crisis and ensure sustainability in the agricultural sector.
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