The Agbekoya Society of Nigeria, the parent organization of the Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure proper monitoring of grant and subsidy distribution for agriculture to achieve their intended goals.
In an open letter to Mr. Tinubu on Sunday, the group responded to the president’s broadcast addressing the nationwide ##EndBadGovernance protest. The letter was jointly signed by the group’s president, Kamorudeen Okikiola, and the national secretary, Adegbenro Ogunlana.
The group expressed concerns that many federal government agricultural programs aimed at boosting food production and addressing hunger do not reach grassroots farmers. They highlighted that despite the government’s efforts, the benefits often fail to reach the smallholder farmers who are crucial to the nation’s food production.
The group stated, “The Nigerian government has implemented various programs and initiatives aimed at supporting the agricultural sector and empowering smallholder farmers. However, we have observed that the intended benefits of these programs often do not reach the intended beneficiaries – grassroots farmers who form the backbone of our nation’s food production. Our members, primarily subsistence and small-scale farmers, face significant challenges in accessing grants, subsidies, and other forms of support that have been made available.”
They attributed these issues to a lack of transparency, accountability, and effective monitoring mechanisms in the distribution process.
