Cocoa and plantain farmers in the country are appealing to the federal government to include their association in the medium term credit facility and N-CARES project beneficiaries, as well as in future interventions.
They made the call recently in Akure, the Ondo State capital, under the umbrella of Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Association of Nigeria (CPFAN).
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Other demands of the farmers include provision of palliative items, including motorised sprayers, mechanical diggers for planting plantain, solo sprayers, agrochemicals, improved cocoa seedlings and plantain suckers.
The farmers sought federal government’s assistance for the capacity building of members to meet up with international market standard in terms of post-harvesting handling and packaging of plantain and cocoa.
They also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the ongoing farmers and herders clashes in the country.
The national president of the association, Chief Ayodele Ojo, noted that if the herdsmen and farmers clashes were not checked, the marginal food production in the country would nosedive.
Meanwhile, the group appreciated President Buhari and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sambo Nanono, for providing effective fire-fighting equipment to solve some of their endemic problems.