Agric: Inter. Organization, Solidaridad, Want FG To Prevail On States, LGA To Remove Barriers In Land Aquisition

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, December 2nd, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An international Solution oriented Civil Society organization, Solidaridad West Africa, promoting Agriculture in Nigeria, has appealed to the federal government to prevail on states and local government Areas in the country to remove certain barriers associated with land acquisition so as to enable oil palm farmers, particularly women embrace agriculture, in order to generate income and improve their livelihood.

It regretted that the issue of gazzeting and classification of lands by state governments in parts of Nigeria, has continued to discourage people, especially women from venturing into the agricultural sector.

Speaking at the weekend at Ayigba, in Dekina Council Area of Kogi state, during a workshop organized by Solidaridad for oil palm farmers , community leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs) and local government authorities from Enugu and Kogi states to harmonized the community-based land-use plans for different communities in the two states, it’s Programme Manager, Mr. Kenechukwu Onukwube, harped on the need for federal government’s intervention.

He noted that in many states of the federation lands are gazetted and classified, pointing out that Solidaridad, has observed that women not having access to land has remain a major challenge in Nigeria.

The programme Manager therefore, appealed to federal government to prevail on state and local government councils to make land available for women and young people who are interested in farming to improve their standard of living at the rural areas.

According to him, “We have been on serious advocacy in collaboration with CSOs to public authorities over the issue of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in some states which takes a long process and the farmers don’t have what it takes to acquire such land.

“We also recognizes the power of the chairmen of local government councils in granting Customary Right of Occupancy, so we have been telling them to ignite the law so that it can help farmers especially women to have access to land for agricultural purposes.

Onukwube, explained that the workshop meeting was aimed at bringing together the Multi Stakeholders platform (MSP) in Enugu and Kogi states for oil palm project, so as to harmonise land-use plans that emanated from communities and local government areas of the two states which was conducted two months ago.

He stressed that the idea of harmonization was to ensure that the Land-Use Plans evolve into Sustainable Management Plan (SMP) for the states to enable farmers have access to land for the purpose of oil palm farming.

The Programme Manager added that if translated, such plan will help in eliminating all bad practices in the oil palm farming and boost production.

He equally disclosed that the organization has begun the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with various Council areas where they operate, “because the donors would not want to invade any LGA without getting approval from the Authorities in charge of such areas .

“There are a lot of issues , accusation or criticism over the continuous production of oil palm globally”, adding that the organization is poised in getting it right in Nigeria, Enugu and Kogi states inclusive.

“This really emanated from environmental and social concern to grow oil palm you have to clear forest leading to deforestation and emission of greenhouse gases from the trees that had been fell which contributed to global warming, a major challenge in climate change.

“The idea of SMP is to enable us to take a critical look at what emanated from the communities so that we can be able to fashion out how best we can effectively manage our land resources sustainably in such a way that will bring economic benefits to our farmers , stem social problems , make oil palm farming lucrative so that more young men and women to go into farming as a sure business for livelihood”

He hinted that Solidaridad is currently working with four Local government Areas in Enugu and three in Kogi state, on the development of Land Use Plan for oil palm cultivation.

He however, encourage women and young people to venture into oil palm farming which he said is highly lucrative, and it is not a seasonal business.

“Solidaridad wants to make oil palm farming very attractive so, that more young people and women can embrace it and begin to earn their living from it” disclosing that the organization plans to digitally profile oil farmers working with it various states of Nigeria.

Some of the Stakeholders who spoke at the workshop expressed appreciation to the international organization for its technical support to them in boasting their production.