Three tiers of government have been urged to intensify efforts toward developing the agricultural sector to enhance food security and national growth.
A prominent farmer, Alhaji Abubakar Dansadau, made the call on Kakaki, a programme on FRCN Kaduna’s Karama FM.
Alhaji Dansadau expressed concern over the rising cost of agricultural inputs nationwide.
He recalled the measures introduced by former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, through the E-Wallet initiative, which provided subsidised inputs to farmers.
He attributed the limited success of such policies to the activities of middlemen, whom he accused of sabotaging government interventions aimed at boosting food production and reducing prices.
Alhaji Dansadau said that if genuine farmers have access to affordable inputs, including fertiliser, they will be able to produce food at cheaper rates.
He also advocated the reintroduction of marketing boards to regulate the sector, as was done in the past.
SULEIMAN KAURA