Dr Abdulkadir Mu’azu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has cautioned portfolio farmers to steer clear of inputs meant for farmers.
Mu’azu gave the warning while on an inspection tour of the Strategic Grains Reserve in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State on Monday.
He said it would no longer be business as usual for such people, who use their connection to get inputs procured by the ministry for farmers.
According to him, the ministry is already reviewing the procurement process to ensure that only genuine farmers have access to agricultural equipment and inputs.
The permanent secretary decried the activities of the portfolio farmers had negatively impacted on food production as the genuine farmers could not access the inputs.
He said that: “You are the people we have been employed to serve and to support to produce in large quantity for our people.
“This is the first time the ministry is getting the kind of funding it is getting.
“It will ensure not only to buy the inputs but to ensure that they get to the beneficiaries particularly the farmers.
“The minister as we all know is a farmer and committed Nigerian and he is trying to review how we procure farm implements and other inputs and how it gets to the beneficiaries.
“What happens is that we buy and those with connections are able to get to the ministry to buy them and on the long run they do not get to the farmers.”
Mua’zu assured of government’s support not only to get inputs but to build silos that would enable them store their goods to sell when prices appreciate.
He charged them to take ownership of government projects especially in the rural areas to ensure the impact of government was felt in the state.
The permanent secretary also advised them to take advantage of the current border closure to ensure improved and quality output.
According to him, this will push smugglers out of business when the borders are eventually opened, adding that: “if we have enough and it is affordable, smuggling will be unattractive”.
Mu’azu also advised farmers to take advantage of staff of the ministry present in their various states to table their needs.
Also speaking, Mr Sani Danjari, Assistant Secretary, Katsina State Chapter, All Farmers Association of Nigeria(AFAN), urged government to give farmers in the state permission to supply grain to the reserve rather than using contractors.
Danjari lauded government for the border closure, saying it was the best thing to happen to farmers in Nigeria.
While stressing that farmers had never had it this good, Danjari assured of their commitment to ensuring improved food production in the country.
