AKWA IBOM FARMER’S ENUMERATION: A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Ukeme Anwan

This is to me the first step in the right direction to solve the challenges of Nigerian Agricultural sector, the enumeration of farmers. It been quite heartwarming as the Akwa Ibom State Government sets in motion the system to capture the bio data of real farmers in the state

Agriculture is the bedrock of the Nigerian economy and the way out of Economic woes. This has been so from the 1960s that we were known for Economic crops, the groundnut pyramids in the North, cashew nuts production in the East, cocoa production in the west and oil palm production in the south. Nigerian has drifted over the years completely from this God given natural resources to crude oil without investing or giving a second thought to agriculture as its alternative means of livelihood. As the oil price drops and vessels abandoned in different ports, this is a rude awakener.

The farmers enumeration exercise has started in already, it is expected that information of all farmers in Nigeria be captured for the purpose of knowing the total number of farmers in the state and also to know their scale of production couple with the problem faced by this farmers and finally to empower them for Sustainable food security and Agriculture.

Having been involved in this exercise, I have studied the modalities deployed by both the national and sub-national governments with a personal judgement that this is one of the first ever well planned programmes of government geared at the rural farmers with good and sustainable Development. Yes I will say it again and again that it's well intended.

The modalities are just citizens centered and participatory with proper community entry approach and without any political undertone, but many may not grab this opportunity because of lack of information or lost of trust in the system (Government). I will like to seriously encourage all farmers who are currently having Agricultural investment in any location of the country to locate the enumerator sent to his or her community for a bio data capturing as it will not be as before or politicised.

It has just been necessitated by the COVID-19 and oil price drop that Nigeria must run back to agriculture as the only way forward. You may have noticed that states like Akwa Ibom have formed Post COVID-19 Reconstruction Economic Team. The information gotten from farmers will help in the allocation of funds and other agricultural inputs like fertilizer, hybrid seeds/seedlings etc for a new face of national building. If agriculture worked before the oil boom it will work more at post oil boom.

Every village of the state is assigned with an enumerator and it's expected of every enumerator to meet with the village head of any community to pass the intention of government to their communities and this exercise will take a month interval from 25th May 2020. This well intended plan can only amount to futility if farmers in each village refuse to go out for enrolment and failed to give precise and accurate information about their farm. It cut across livestock, crops and fish farming.

The required information during documentation include means of identification such as voters card, national ID, etc. Others include, Account details, with other personal data. I encourage all and sundry to avail themselves of this golden opportunity to go back to nature in order for Nigeria to get back its lost glory in Agriculture. Remember, the citizens of any nation determine the economic growth of that nation.