The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has lamented the neglect of agricultural professionals and stakeholders in decision making, policy formulation and implementation despite being at the forefront of food production to feed the country.
President of AFAN, Farouk Mudi, while presenting a keynote address at the 2022 National Executive Council meeting, in Abuja, said the association will only support politicians that are ready to appoint their members into critical positions and go into partnership with them ahead of the 2023 general elections.
AFAN Is the umbrella body of all farmers’ commodities associations in Nigeria, to ensure sustainable agriculture is the bedrock and core foundation of the country’s economy and means of livelihood.
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The association is leveraging on human and material resources to connect with rural smallholder farmer over the cultivation of ideas for sustainable growth.
Mudi disclosed that the association demands to secure the position of minister of agriculture, minister of water resources, Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and Special Adviser to the President on Agriculture.
He added that even at the state level, their members must be appointed as the commissioner for agriculture, while at the local government level, their members must occupy the position of agricultural supervising councilor.
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AFAN chairman stressed that with their members leading these strategic positions, the agricultural sector would be transformed and would boost food production in the country.
He advised farmers to come together at local, state and national levels and fight for what is theirs regardless of party affiliations, while explaining that the association had over 12 million registered members across the federation in its database, and it was targeting the registration of 40 million farmers before the end of the year.
