Farmers across Enugu State have appealed to their lawmakers and public officeholders for urgent intervention through the distribution of fertilisers as palliatives, following the start of this year’s rainy season. They said this would help cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal by the Tinubu administration, which has driven more people into farming as a means of survival and to support food security.
Several farmers lamented the soaring prices of fertilisers and the difficulty in affording them, saying that timely fertiliser distribution as a constituency project would ensure better harvests and strengthen local food production.
A farmer from Igboeze North Local Government Area said that although he had been farming for years, he expanded his farming activities last year to meet his family’s needs. However, he noted that fertiliser prices, now around N40,000 per bag depending on the type, have made it nearly impossible to maintain his farm. He explained that he needed at least fifteen bags for the year and could not afford them. He urged lawmakers to prioritise fertiliser distribution over other forms of relief, describing it as a more sustainable form of empowerment that would allow farmers to provide for themselves.
In Mgbemene, another farmer shared that the poor cassava harvest from the previous season was due to his inability to purchase sufficient manure. He warned that the situation could repeat this year if fertilisers and other vital inputs, such as herbicides and improved cassava stems, are not made available and applied at the appropriate time. He criticized the distribution of consumable items like noodles and salt as ineffective, calling instead for inputs that would enable self-sufficiency.
At Agu-Abor in Enugu, a poultry farmer noted that although he produces animal manure for his crops, it yields better results when combined with inorganic fertilisers. Last year, he resorted to buying fertilisers from Benue State where they were more affordable. This year, he fears the cost might be even higher and urged elected representatives to assist farmers through the distribution of fertilisers, regardless of quantity.
It was gathered that the state government had previously distributed fertilisers to some farmers through cooperative societies late last year. However, the farmers stressed the need for a wider and more timely distribution this season to avoid another cycle of poor yields and food scarcity.
