Wale Jagun
Lagos-CARE and FADAMA have extended their COVID-19 intervention programme to farmers across Ikorodu, as part of the initiative to support 15, 000 farm households and 69 food markets with relief materials.
Sequel to the initiatives’ plan, Lagos-CARE representative, last week, met with farmers at Gberigbe area of Ikorodu in an effort to enlighten them on the programme as well as the disbursement procedure of the relief materials, at a meeting held at Protouch Hotel.
The Ikorodu Local Government’s Agric Desk Officer, Mrs. Agbaje Opeyemi, speaking during the meeting, gave insight on the mobilization process and what the initiatives are meant to achieve.
“We mobilized over 150 farmers who are divided into fifteen groups. Because of the way things are, we decided to take it batch by batch-five groups per batch.
“FADAMA is a programme meant for farmers. They help farmers with inputs and train them. That was why N-CARE came through FADAMA because that is their work,” she said.
Agbaje also revealed that the agencies need to be certain about the physical existence of the farmers and their farms before disbursement can commence.
“They want to be sure that the disbursement gets to the target audience. Now that I have mobilized and sent their names, they (Lagos-CARE and FADAMA) cannot just proceed into bringing those things, they want to be sure if they are farmers “, she added.
Addressing the farmers, FADAMA Lagos Chapter Safeguard Officer, Mr. Olumuyiwa Senapon, expressed his condolences to the farmers over their losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, while explaining the plan of the initiative.
“We all know Lagos, the CARE has to do with COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programmes. This is a World Bank initiative in collaboration with the Federal Government and states. Each state has domesticated the CARE. Here in Lagos, we have Lagos-CARE just as other states have theirs”, he said.
“We are all aware of the havoc that COVID-19 wrecked and the government realized that those who are affected need to recover from the shock. That is why we have to meet the farmers who are affected”, Senapon added.
He further emphasized the importance of the meeting which, according to him, is aimed at verifying the physical presence of the beneficiaries as well as confirmation of their farms’ existence.
In a similar manner, the Lagos-CARE Communication Officer, Adeyemi Bewaji, spoke about the need to ascertain the existence of farmers.
“The essence of meeting them in person is to prevent what we call political farmers. We want to be sure that they are indeed real farmers because there must be a return on investment”, he said.
“This is just like a business aimed at improving the lives of the farmers and also the economy. It must reflect in our economic development because if it doesn’t, our bosses from Abuja may come down here to confirm if indeed the relief materials get to the target populaces”.
Meanwhile, the farmers lauded the initiative for the proposed assistance which they believed will go a long way in helping them in recovering the losses they suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Mr. Abiodun Olajire, Chairman, De-Kings Coop, the physical meeting with farmers, is good as, “it enabled the government interface directly with farmers in order to evaluate the impact of covid-19 on them, and identify our needs”.
Alhaja Fatima Olushomo, the chairperson of Aseyori Fish Farmers Group, said that the meeting was an avenue to state the areas farmers are in need of the initiative’s assistance.
“The programme is okay. The only way we can get assistance is to tell them what we want and may God give them the strength to grant our requests,” she said.
On his part, the Chairman of Unique Group, Mr. Abdulfatai Abdulkareem, commended Lagos State government for the gesture, while stressing that they have been expecting the development for over a year.
“We really appreciate the Lagos State government for the support and other assistance they are giving to us. For today’s programme, we really appreciate it because we have been expecting it for over a year plus. We thank God everything is now in order”, he stated.
In the same vein, Success Group of Crop Farmers’ Chairperson, Mrs. Joy Agu, lauded the initiative, labelling it as a welcome idea.
“It is a welcome idea, and we are so happy. Certain things like this have been happening and at the end, we will not see anything. But this one seems to be real”, she said.
The Chairman of Gberigbe Farmers Community Association, Mr. Teniola Stephen, recalled the effects of the pandemic on farmers and thanked the state government for the gesture.
“Actually, it will help the farmers because a lot of us are suffering due to the effects of COVID-19. There were some times that we had issues with all of our birds and since then, there was no assistance.
“But now that FADAMA and the state government want to assist us, we really appreciate them,” he said.
