The agricultural reform programme of governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has been described as a sham, even as the programme suffered severe impediments leaving farmers in the state to lament the absence of government.
This is coming as governor Obiano rolled out the drums few days ago to mark his three years in office while the farmers attributed their successes to self efforts as against Obiano’s claims.
According to the aggrieved farmers who expressed disappointment over Obiano’s administration inability to contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector said they have only heard as rumour and read on the pages of newspapers that Obiano’s government has released funds to farmers to enable them engage in mechanised farming.
Speaking in an exclusive interview at Osamala community, in Ogbaru local government area of the state, with HardReporters correspondent who was among the Journalists credited for the coverage of the three years anniversary, an Ugun (Vegetable) farmer, Mrs Caroline Nwachukwu, said government has done nothing to ensure that Ugun (Vegetable) production is grown in large quantity.
“It is not true that government has assisted us, it is a lie. We have not seen anything from government. The Ugun (vegetable) farm is currently suffering from draught when we have River Niger by us”, Mrs Nwachukwu lamented.
Another Ugun (vegetable) cultivator, Obiora Alazua, said they only allow government to use their farms as reference point not because government has done anything for them, “because we need government’s help”.
Another Ugun (vegetable) farmer, Paul Nwachukwu, explained that traders comes from Onitsha and Owerri in Imo state to purchase their farm produce, “they even come to export them abroad”.
According to the farmers, between January to June, they harvest their produce once in two weeks and they make up to N160, 000 while the Ugun (vegetable) seeds are sold in quantity to the tune of N300, 000.
They also accused governor Obiano of withholding pumping machines promised
them long time ago, leaving their crops to suffer what they described as ‘water-stress’.
Our correspondent observed that the farmland was perpetually dry as the land lacks irrigation system.
Earlier, a Director in charge of Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Emeka Okolie who spoke in an interview said government has donated farm equipment like pumping machines and other tools to enable them do their farm work.
Okolie disclosed that the land where Ugun (vegetable) is been cultivated is well over a 100 hectares but only 50 hectares have been cultivated.
