Honourable Bridget Obi is a former commissioner for women affairs, gender expert, farmer and agro-dealer. In this interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, she narrates her experience in the agricultural industry and reasons why she believes the agri industry is still lagging behind.
When did you get into agriculture and how long have you been in the business?
I have been in the industry for over 20 years. Before I became a farmer, I was an input distributor working with federal and state ministries of agriculture. I supported farmers by giving them improved seeds, sourcing for improved seeds etc. In the light of the ban on the import of rice in Nigeria, the Fadama 11AF project was setup to educate Nigerian farmers on the best techniques to grow rice. After we set up the cooperative, we were put in pairs and given lands and input needed to start farming. We were also given 10 hectares of land to start farming on.
What pushed you into farming, was it passion or profit driven?
I come from a farming community. Even though I had gone and pursued a formal education, I still felt the need to go back home and bury my hands in agriculture. Asides being an agro-dealer, I got into farming because I realised many farmers don’t have the proper knowledge of commercial farming, instead they practice peasant farming.
What produce do you make from your farm, do you have a main crop you focus on?
We started farming with rice but we had to stop because the floods were destroying the rice plantation. Currently, we are into cassava because it has proven to yield a lot of profits. The farm usually produces at least five hectares’ worth of cassava. We also grow vegetables such as cucumber, sweet potatoes, ugu leaves. These are cash crops and it is easy to see a quick turnover after harvesting. I still do rice processing and packaging into different sizes for retail and that still bring in some profit.
It is said that Nigerian women have limited access to land opportunities, can you say it is a challenge you faced?
In my culture, even though men are the ones who inherit land, they often give out a portion to their wives so they can farm and bring home some food produce. In my case, since I came under the cover of a project, access to land didn’t prove to be difficult. We were even given 50 per cent grant on the land clearing, input and seeds for farming. However, we were entitled to pay certain permits and fee to the community for using the land.
Is farming a capital-intensive start-up?
Yes, farming is a very capital-intensive business, it is no cheap profession. When going into commercial farming, I always advise that people go into the areas that you’re likely to make a quick turnover from your investments. Farming requires a lot of financing; you will always need to upgrade your machinery, feeds for your animals, manure and fertilizer for our crops and also the needs of the staff working for you. You also need to expand your knowledge on whatever area of farming you indulge in which means paying for technical courses that will teach new farming techniques etc.
Did you start farming with your personal savings or loans?
I invested more with my personal savings. Because of my background as an agro dealer, I was able to get supplies on credit from persons I’d previously worked with, which helped me kick-start the business. They were no government loans for people in agriculture and the loans that were applied for at the bank were never facilitated quickly enough to meet the needs of the farmer. When you don’t facilitate a farmer’s loan request before the planting season begins. It’s almost irrelevant to facilitate a loan request after the planting season is over as paying back that loan will now prove difficult for the farmer. Sometimes also, being a female applying for loan can be difficult because you might not have the necessary collateral requested by the bank to facilitate the loan.
What gender makes the majority of your staff?
Our labour force is made up of both men and women. I’m proud to say that majority of the workforce are women. I’m a strong believer of women empowerment and I believe that when women are empowered, they are able to serve their family and community at large properly. The women are responsible for the planting, weeding and harvesting of crops in the farm. The men mostly come in where the machinery is used. They have no issue with a woman being their boss. When given a task, they actively carry out all their duties to the end.
How much has the current insecurity issues in the country affected your business?
Insecurity in the country has affected farmers so much. It has led to an increase in the materials needed to farm, a lot of people are afraid of going to secure lands in remote areas. Transportation to move the rice we source from the north has also become very expensive. The effect isn’t just on the farmer but also the buyers on the food chain as now, logistics is slow and expensive. What we’d normally use 24 hours to deliver, now takes four days to a week. Many farmers are now running at a loss because they cannot transport the produce that have been harvested. These small issues are what led to scarcity and a surge in food prices.
Do you think the government has heavily invested in the agricultural sector?
I believe the government has tried to do its best for the agric industry, however they can do more to assist the work of farmers. Under the Adesina administration at the ministry of agriculture, farmers where opportune to have access to fertilizers and input direct from the agro-dealers. Another issue which the government can help farmers with is the issue of flooding. So many farmers lose out on their produce and lands due to excessive flooding and are discouraged to go back to the profession if previous issues have not been attended to.
Food security is the responsibility of the government. If the government were to subsidise the prices of food, even during bad seasons, the farmer is likely to still make profit from the produce he sells. The government should also add more value to our agricultural product by training farmers on best practices to use, this will help improve the export value of our produce.
What are the general challenges one is likely to face in agricultural?
Financing will always pose as a problem for people who are into large scale farming. You are paying for electricity, feeds for the animals, manure and fertilizer for the crops, machinery and also labour. Sometimes, you’re likely to run at loss because of the financing needed to manage the facility. Also, the lack of proper logistics and transportation for farmers is a big problem. Many of the roads aren’t good and it becomes a challenge when food products cannot get to the market before they turn bad.
