By Charles Iteshi,
Abakaliki
The Association of Micro-Credit Institutions of Nigeria (AMCIN), Ebonyi State chapter, has raised concerns over the decline in agricultural productivity, urging the adoption of organic farming to improve food security in the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, the South-East Coordinator of AMCIN, Princess Comfort Ifesinachi Nweke, expressed her dismay at the decreasing food production levels, attributing the trend to outdated farming practices. She stressed that this decline is negatively impacting Nigeria’s economy.
Nweke outlined the importance of embracing modern agricultural techniques to boost productivity and reduce the skyrocketing prices of staple foods across the nation.
Stating “organic farming offers several benefits, such as improved soil fertility, biodiversity, and environmental sustainability,” she noted.
“Crops grown organically not only last longer but also provide greater health benefits compared to those produced with chemical fertilizers.”
“We have Apex 10 which is organic manure, a crop you use it for instance, tomatoes raised with Apex-10 will last more than two months before it decay, you can apply it in tomato,rice, maize or other crops and we advice every farmers to go into organic farming because the produce is healthier than chemical raise produce.
“USAID in partnership with AMCIN gave us the mandate to capture 25,000 farmers in Ebonyi state just like other selected states partnering them. “Currently, we have captured over 3,000 indigent farmers during our visitation at Ogbala and the sensitization is ongoing, however, our data only target real farmers as value chain given to Ebonyi is rice and maize. “AMCIN is out to raise farmers who will have alot for themselves and enough to import and have tour all parts of the state and was marveled to see that Izzi has the highest rice farmers in Ebonyi state”. she said
Nweke also called on the government to collaborate with AMCIN to support smallholder farmers, particularly widows and youth, through grants of up to ₦50,000. She emphasized the importance of monitoring these grants to ensure sustainable growth and food security.
“The only challenge to farmers in Ebonyi is finance else, farmers here will do well when monitored by AMCIN because we have given loan at difference times with marvelous results in all Local Government Areas especially the over five hundred persons trained by Songhai who we give money through their cooperatives and recovering them wasn’t difficult because they have coordinators who report to us from the well established procedures that strengthen the system.
“Our experience in providing loans to farmers across all local government areas has yielded positive results. Especially with the over 500 farmers trained by Songhai, loan recovery has been efficient due to the well-structured coordination within cooperatives,” she said.
The coordinator praised Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, for his commitment to agricultural development. She highlighted his recent initiative to send 100 youths for agricultural skills training, aimed at empowering them to become employers of labor and contribute to poverty eradication.
“I encourage Ebonyi state government to continue supporting genuine farmers and whatever they wish to invest in AMCIN that they should do it without doubt because we have their data; if we empower these rural women in farming business, they have the strength to bring down price of garri to 500 naira within one farming season,” she stated.