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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Churches under the umbrella of Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) have been mobilized to reach out to smallholder farmers in their areas with the needed help to improve their farming activities while awaiting the interventions that could come from the government.
The Church leaders were asked to mobilize resources internally or through other means to assist the smallholder farmers cushion the effect of climate change and other damages/losses that they might had incurred as a result of several farmers/herders crisis and other natural occurances particularly flooding.
OIAC President, Elder Israel Akinadewo, told journalists at the end of the two-day workshop on climate change adaption for smallholder farmers in Nigeria with the theme “adaption for smallholder farmers and responsive public policy: a faith-based response” held in Abuja, on Wednesday, that it’s time Churches rise in mobilization of support for these farmer who are majorly responsible for feeding majority of the population through their farming activities.
He made reference to statistics that indicated that smallholder farmers make up a significant proportion of the world’s rural population, with over 500 million individuals relying on the small scale farming for their livelihood.
He said: “Their well-being is intrinsically linked to the social, economic, and environmental fabric of the societies. As a result, it’s imperative that we understand and address their unique needs, challenges and aspirations.
“We intiated several engagements with the policy makers on how to better the fortunes of these set of farmers who often work tirelessly with little or no help to feed communities, but are often confronted with limited access to resources, climate change-induced uncertainties, market volatility, and social inequalities.
“While we wait for the interventions of government and others to come, we should assist in the little way that we can. I am referring to assistance that can come in form of extension services, enlightenment on climate change and 21st century innovations that could help improve their yields.”
On the hardship arising from the fuel subsidy removal, the OIAC President advised the government to jettisoned the proposed N500 billion palliatives, suggesting that such huge financial intervention should be channeled to procuring vehicles and other interventions that would reduce the spending of Nigerians, particularly the smallholder farmers.
“Undoubtedly, Nigerians are suffering because of the fuel subsidy removal. However, I believe that things would be better soon. We only need to be patient with the government. I believe that the policies were not to deliberately punish Nigerians, but for good. We may feel the pains now but I am optimistic that things would change for better soon.”
He suggested that government and private organizations consider the option of salary increment for workers, in addition to provision of incentives that would help the people manage the hardship arising from fuel subsidy removal pending the stabilization of the economy.
Elder Akinadewo also advised government to strongly promote policies and programmes that would enable private sector thrive which will, expectedly, result in creation of jobs for appreciable number of Nigerians, skilled and unskilled.
He promised that recommendations of the two-day workshop would be presented to relevant government agencies, in addition to other discussions that would, expectedly, enrich their policies and programmes.
“In addition to that, church leaders that participated in the workshop would be encouraged to cascade the knowledge and information down to their local churches and communities. “These church leaders command loyalty and respect in their communities. Using them would help us achieve the expected results.”
