ActionAid and other stakeholders have urged the federal and state governments to promote insurance for smallholder farmers across the country to mitigate agricultural risks confronting farmers.
According to the stakeholders, the challenges that are posing threat to farmers’ lives and crop production are floods, droughts, fires, pests and diseases, cattle destruction of farms, rising insecurity in farms and kidnappings.
They made the call in a communique issued on Monday in Abuja at the end of the Non-State Actors (NSAs), Post National Dialogue and Dissemination on Nigeria’s Performance at the 3rd Biennial Review (BR).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise is on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
The dialogue is organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) to provide information and capacity for CSOs, Smallholder Women Farmers (SWOFON) and media networks to better engage the post 3rd BR process and emerging policy issues.
The communique observed that farms were abandoned due to security threats and natural disasters.
According to the communique, making farms safe and funding agricultural mechanisation will not only create more food but also jobs to engage restless youths that have turned to crime for a living.
The stakeholders called on federal and state executives to scale up public investment in agriculture and ensure timely consideration, passage and total budget releases.
It also described the measure as a strategic approach to increase food production, reduce hunger and poverty and achieve the Maputo/Malabo Commitments of allocation of 10 per cent annual budget to agriculture
