Some agriculture stakeholders have called on the federal government to implement workable measures to reduce production costs in the sector. The stakeholders made the call in separate interviews on Thursday in Lagos.
They were reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s 66th Independence Day speech, in which he promised to reduce production costs across sectors.
Mr Tinubu said reducing production costs in agriculture and other sectors would help Nigerians achieve shared prosperity.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria’s chairman in Lagos, Sakin Agbayewa, commended the administration’s efforts but called for more funding for farmers.
“In all sincerity, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has been trying to reduce the cost of production for us farmers, and he has done well. The distribution of fertilisers to farmers across 26 states of the country is a testament to this,” said Mr Agbayewa.
According to him, the government was doing well, adding that the Nigeria Forest Security initiative would help secure farmers’ fields.
Omotunde Banjoko, a farmer and agriculture analyst, called for subsidised farm inputs and an end to imports of produce that Nigerian farmers could cultivate.
“It is a welcome development that President Tinubu’s administration wants to reduce the cost of production in the agricultural sector. Given the rising cost of production, the promise to reduce production costs is welcome because that is what we have been clamouring for,” Mr Banjoko explained.
He also urged the government to sustain funding for farmers and ensure that promised interventions were implemented.
Mr Banjoko also called for the provision of mechanisation equipment at subsidised rates across local government areas to increase production and reduce costs.
Ismail Olawale, a strategic agriculture communication expert, called for a holistic approach to reducing agriculture production costs.
“From all indications and from the president’s speech, ensuring lower production costs in the agriculture sector is a good promise,” Mr Olawale noted. “But for the president to achieve this, with whatever policy he wants to set up or plan, the Presidency needs to understand the value chain across agriculture.”
In the speech, the president said his administration would focus on reducing the cost of living by cutting production and transport costs.
Mr Tinubu said Nigeria’s reforms improved the economy, citing over four per cent growth, lower oil theft, stabilised foreign exchange, and $6 billion in non-oil exports in 2025.
He said the government would expand mechanised irrigation, dry-season farming, roads, railways and ports, while strengthening social support, education loans and CREDICORP consumer credit, among others.
(NAN)