Farmers chart path to agric sector’s success in 2026

By : Gbenga Akinfenwa

Date: 2 January 2026 4:28am WAT

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As part of moves to build on the success recorded by the agricultural sector in 2025, farmers and stakeholders in the sector have called on the Federal and state governments, to show more sincerity by providing enabling environment for farming.

While setting agenda for the government in 2026, the farmers urged government to provide adequate funds to the real farmers; provide hybrid seeds that are suitable for the country’s climates and soil; provision of storage facilities to preserve farm produce to avoid post and pre-harvest loss; and provision of processing facilities to add value for onward exportation of farm produces.

A farmer based in Imeko, Ogun State, Mr Waheed Olojede, who called on state governors to provide lands with title to farmers to enable states have abundant food and agro produce, urged the Federal Government to build farm estates settlement in all the 774 councils and rejuvenation of the existing ones across the country.

“As the worlds is improving, so also are technologies for agriculture are evolving, government at all levels should provide modern tools to farmers, provide processing facilities to add value for onward exportation of our farm produces, strengthen the commodities exchange board, appoint real farmers as advisers and provision of modern irrigation system, among other interventions,” Olojede said.

He lamented that Nigeria has no business experiencing the issue of high cost of food that forced many to resort to the ‘dustbin,’ if the government and our leaders follow the right path by ensuring that farmers are supported to grow more foods.

He said: “If they have improved on our agricultural sector, we will not have found ourselves in this current situation of double digits inflation and unemployment. Most of our factories have been converted to religious houses and lands meant for farming have been converted into camps, taking over thousands of hectares of land.

“Our leaders misplaced their priorities by engaging on mundane things buying exotic cars, houses abroad and draining our foreign reserves, competing among themselves who own what. Money meant for improvement of our farms have been diverted into their pockets and buying houses in reserved areas. 2026 provides another opportunity to right their wrongs.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Spectra Industries Limited, Duro Kuteyi, also called on the Federal and state governments to adopt a “one local government, one industry” policy to strengthen food security and grow the economy in 2026.

According to him, each local council should establish industries based on the raw materials available in their environment, noting that such a step will create jobs and reduce poverty nationwide. “If they can accomplish that, then they’ll need to now go to one village, one factory. You can now see the number of people that will be gainfully engaged,” he said.

The Spectra boss decried the poor state of infrastructure in the Southwest, blaming governors in the region for neglecting road networks and mechanisation support for farmers.

“Our problem in the Southwest is our governors. Take for example the road network from Ibadan to Ife, it’s a write-off. From Ife to Ilesa to Akure to Ado-Ekiti is also not good. When you don’t have good roads, how do you transport? And the governors kept quiet. What does it take the governors to come together and invite the minister for works to see the situation? They need to do a lot more for their people,” he said.

Kuteyi further stressed that Nigeria cannot achieve lasting food security without agro-processing, warning that farm produce would continue to waste without value addition.

“If I buy yam and keep it, how long will it last? But if it’s processed, it can last for two years. Cassava garri can last for three years. With that, the price will not go up; it will remain uniform throughout the year,” he explained.

He also urged government to protect small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from foreign competition, reduce import levies on machinery, and ensure security for farmers across the country.

A cassava farmer and Processor, based in Kajola, Obafemi Owode Council, Ogun State, Igangan and Elekokan, Ibarapa areas of Oyo State, Mr. Kazeem Lamidi, said government needs to focus on enabling environments and critical infrastructure in 2026. “Let us channel efforts into providing subsidised mechanisation and irrigation services to the majority of these set of farmers.

“They are in need of feeder roads, rural storage, access to markets and affordable farm inputs that will ease their operations. Strengthen extension services for them, and also facilitate their easy access to credit to increase their productivity. These interventions would empower farmers to increase productivity, thereby reducing food prices naturally, without inflicting further hardship on those already stretched thing.

“As concerned citizens, we must advocate for our rural farmers. Help them organise, amplify their voices, and demand their fair share of existing support. Even if we don’t have money to give, we owe them our time, our attention, and our solidarity. Every citizen must understand that, every wrap of fufu, tuwo, or amala comes from the sweat of a farmer. The least we can do is say thank you. The best we can do is to ensure that crashing food prices don’t crush the very people feeding the nation.”

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