Mr Pat Udofia, a Consultant on agriculture issues, on Wednesday advised the Federal Government to provide effective harvest technology programme to forestall an impending food scarcity. Udofia told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the advice became necessary in view of the current spate of flood ravaging many farms. According to him, the programme should encompass subsidised fertiliser, better harvest technology, effective storage facility and land for farming. He stressed the need to make cultivable land available to farmers, to improve food production just as he called for improved harvest technology to enable farmers preserve their grains. The Lagos-based consultant commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for introducing the e-wallet scheme, saying that it has enabled the farmers to access fertiliser at subsidised rate. He, however, advised that the scheme should be refined to enable farmers benefit maximally and improve food production. “It is one thing to have a good agricultural scheme and another thing for farmers to make the best use of it. “The truth is that many farmers are yet to benefit from the scheme,’’ he said. Udofia said that though the government had provided storage facilities in all the states, “there is need for modern facilities.” He said that the facilities would enable farmers store enough food over a long period, and still retain its nutritional value. He urged the government to encourage and educate farmers on how to use storage facilities at their disposal.
