Farmers in Ido-Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government area of Ekiti State on Thursday appealed to the state government to assist them with soft loans and tractors to boost their agricultural production.
The Chairman of Ekiti State Farmers Association, Ido-Osi chapter, Mr Oluropo Dada, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) explained that though their challenges were numerous, “major problems at the moment are lack of funds and farm implements”.
He explained that the state government promised to empower the farmers, but they were yet to receive any financial supports from it, noting that most of the members were very old to use hoe and cutlass to farm.
“I want to sincerely appeal to the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to grant us soft loans to enable us produce in large scale.
“We also urge the state government to give us two or three tractors to enable us to start mechanised farming and boost our agricultural production,” he said.
Another farmer, Mr Gbenga Awoniyi, said that the only problem facing farmers at the moment was lack of farm implements and funding.
Awoniyi said that the only tractor available in the community had become old and unserviceable to use for cultivation.
He appealed to the state governor, Kayode Fayemi, to consider their sufferings and give them loans to boost their production.
Another farmer, Mr Kayode Ajibade, urged the state government to provide tricycles for the farmers to enable them evacuate their farm produce to markets and barns in their respective homes.
He explained that the roads leading to the farms were not motorable and during the harvest period they always found it difficult to move their farm produce out of their farms.
Ajibade also appealed to the state government to give them chemicals, such as herbicides to destroy unwanted plants and weeds in their farms.
