Edo moves to identify genuine farmers, end ‘political farming’

The Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Jerry Uwangue, has said the recent field engagement by the ministry was designed to interface with genuine farmers and eliminate the era of “political farmers.”

Speaking with PUNCH Online on Friday, he said the state government would conduct comprehensive farmer profiling and deepen inclusion in government-driven agricultural programmes.

Uwangue added that the engagement also served as a platform to communicate the policy direction of Governor Monday Okpebholo, while gathering firsthand data on farmers’ realities to drive practical, data-backed interventions.

He recalled that he, alongside key officials of the ministry, toured major agrarian corridors in Edo North, including Akoko-Edo, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Etsako West, Owan East and Owan West.

The commissioner urged farmers to key into the ongoing profiling exercise and embrace the cluster farming model—an integrated system aimed at boosting productivity and economies of scale.

He said the initiative was part of efforts to reinforce the state government’s commitment to grassroots agricultural transformation across the 18 local government areas.

“We urge farmers to key into the ongoing profiling exercise and embrace the cluster farming model, an integrated system designed to boost productivity and economies of scale.

“Under this initiative, the government will facilitate land clearing, structured allocation of farmlands, provision of inputs and mechanisation services, irrigation support and the establishment of security architecture to safeguard both farmers and agricultural investments.

“That is why we embarked on the recent field engagement in Edo North—to interface with genuine farmers and eradicate the era of ‘political farmers,’” he said.

He noted that during interactive sessions, farmers commended previous government interventions but also highlighted persistent challenges such as poor market pricing, insecurity and limited access to inputs.

According to him, many farmers described the engagement as unprecedented, noting it was the first time a commissioner visited farmers across multiple local government areas to engage directly and ensure that interventions reach real farmers rather than politically connected individuals or middlemen.

The commissioner also disclosed plans to establish modern storage and aggregation facilities across the three senatorial districts to reduce post-harvest losses and stabilise market prices.

He further revealed that strategic partnerships with verified off-takers were underway to guarantee structured market access and ensure farmers receive fair value for their produce.

Uwangue said the farmer profiling initiative would serve as the foundation for aligning production with demand, strengthening value chains and delivering targeted interventions to reposition Edo State as a hub for sustainable agricultural productivity.

The Acting Permanent Secretary, Bamiyi Osedebamen, emphasised the importance of registration, urging farmers to mobilise others in their communities to participate actively. She cautioned against any form of financial exploitation, stressing that the profiling process is free and government-driven.

Technical insights were also provided by the Director of Agricultural Services, Ogunbor David, and the Programme Manager of the Agricultural Development Programme, Princewill Igbinedion, alongside other ministry officials.