Senate agric public hearing, farmers say bills long over due

The Senate committee public hearing

The Senate committee public hearing initially slated for 7^th November for three different agricultural bills has been postponed till tomorrow Tuesday as stakeholders especially the farmers have described the exercise an overdue veritable tools to combating many challenges confronting food security and wealth creation in the country.

President Muhammudu Buhari 2018 budget presentation to the joint houses of the National Assembly coincided with the initial date slated for the public hearing of the last week Tuesday where about three agricultural bills would have been presented to stakeholders for more contributions.

 Before the postponement, the Senate Committee on Agriculture under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu had sent out invitation of attendance to the stakeholders about the public hearing on “ Legal framework for the inclusion of cassava policy bill, National livestock bill and National fertilizer quality control bill slated 7^th November, 2017 at the Senate conference room 022” But it was shifted to 14^th of November which is tomorrow so as to allow participation of all agric committee members at the 2018 joint sitting budget presentation by the President. 

The public hearing is expected to receive more contributions from other stakeholders from the value chains of fertilizer like soil scientists, fertilizer producers, inputs providers, cassava producers association, cassava processors, flour millers, marketers and major stakeholders at the livestock sector and researchers from the agricultural Institutes and academia.

Speaking on behalf of farmers, the National Coordinator, Zero Hunger Commodity Associations, Dr. Tunde Arosanyin said the three bills supposed to have been made operational towards enhancing agricultural productivity in the country before now adding that the public hearing for the three bills were long overdue for the development of Agriculture in Nigeria.

In his communication with Food Farm News, Dr. Arosanyi said that “my take on the three bills is that they are long over due for agricultural sector to achieve the desired progress. 1. Fertilizer quality should be standardized with subsidy getting to farmers directly.2. Livestock importation should be banned to protect local production. 3. Local content in cassava value chain must be encouraged locally for industrial growth”

Food farm news learnt that many stakeholders have sent their memos to the House committee on Agriculture, Senate stating their contributions for the better articulation of the three bills that are expected to be positively used to drive agricultural productivity in an efficient manners.