Stakeholders raise concern over continuity of GES

Fear is widespread among farmers and farm inputs suppliers, among other stakeholders that the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) of the Federal Government which started about three years ago, may be fizzling out as no farmer got subsidized fertilizer and seeds during this year’s rainy season farming. Investigations revealed that farmers across the country are […]

Fear is widespread among farmers and farm inputs suppliers, among other stakeholders that the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) of the Federal Government which started about three years ago, may be fizzling out as no farmer got subsidized fertilizer and seeds during this year’s rainy season farming.
Investigations revealed that farmers across the country are complaining bitterly that the non-distribution of GES farm inputs have negatively affected their farming activities and will lead to low output, which will also threaten the country’s food security.
While some of the farmers attributed the non-distribution of GES farm inputs to a serious cut in agriculture sector budget in 2015, others blamed it on the change of government.
Findings also showed that the break in the GES programme may not be unconnected with huge debts said to be owed inputs suppliers who supplied fertilizers and seeds to many agro-dealers for onward delivery to the farmers in 2014.
But the Federal Government through its agency; Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMA&RD), which is implementing the GES, maintains that there was no cause for alarm as the programme has come to stay.
In his reaction, the Director, Farm Inputs Support Services Department of the Ministry, Mr. Osho Akinbolawa,said, “The non-distribution of GES farm inputs during this year’s rainy season was due to change in government. We are working on the dry season distribution. We are also working on the payment for the inputs suppliers.”
However, to some of the farmers who benefitted from the two bags of fertilizer and a bag of certified seeds through mobile phones in 2014, and those yet to benefit, all is not well as they are not certain if the scheme can withstand the current challenges and meet the set target.
Also reacting, the President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Architect Kabir Ibrahim, maintains that the agriculture sector and all agriculture projects and programmes including the GES need adequate funding to operate properly and be sustainable.
“Maputo Declaration says every government signatory must dedicate 10% of its national budget to agriculture, but to me, that’s not enough. Nigerian government should dedicate 20% of its budget to agriculture to make it work,” AFAN President advocated.
 A vegetable farmer, Mrs. Lucy David, who said she is yet to benefit from GES, expressed fear over the continuity of the scheme, saying: “It’s a good programme, but I don’t think it can be sustained if enough money is not provided by the government.”
 The dual challenge of budget cut and huge debts, analysts and other stakeholders maintain, is likely to put the new government of President MuhammaduBuhari, in a tight corner with regards to funding and continuity of the GES programme if alternative sources of funds are not available.