Farmers in Mafa and Jere LGAs of Borno affected by insurgency have urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for more support to agriculture to boost food production.
A cross section of the farmers and stakeholders in the area who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the areas have fertile land for food and cash crops production and needed support from government and relevant agencies, like the NEDC.
Malam Abba Kawu, the District Head of Mafa, said with agricultural support to farmers in the areas that have resumed farming activities would boost their production and addressed poverty.
“These areas are known for farming activities and the current road construction by NEDC will open up the area.
“We want the commission which had also intervened in provision of houses and other livelihood support to the people to do more in agriculture for the people to tap the maximum potential of the areas,” he said.
The Ward Head of Jiro in Mafa LGA, Alhaji Bulama Bukar, who lauded the return of relative peace in the area, said farming activities had resumed for the first time in several years, and farmers needed support in areas of inputs like improved seeds and pesticides.
“We have resumed farming activities with support from security personnel that still give us protection to work on our fields.
“The ongoing road construction in the area by NEDC linking Ngom to Koshebe, Zabarmari, Khadamari, Galameri and Dusuman communities in Mafa and Jere LGAs will greatly enhance agriculture in the areas,” Bukar said.
On their part, Messrs Mohammed Ibrahim, Danladi Idris and Usman Haruna from Khadamari village of Jere LGA known for all-year-round mass production of rice and vegetable, said they needed more agricultural support to expand their areas of production.
They noted that the access roads being provided by NEDC was a big relief that would enhance farming and business activities in the areas that have problem of access roads to transport their produce.
They lauded the Federal Government for establishing NEDC, saying that its interventions are impacting positively on the communities.
NAN reports that Vice President Kashim Shettima had last Friday performed the ground breaking ceremony for the roads by NEDC, linking communities in Mafa and Jere LGAs with Maiduguri.